


A Cold World Without You

by SleazyTomlinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anger, Annoyance, Annoyed Louis, Arrogant!Louis, Confused Louis, Crying, Curious Harry, Cute Harry, Denial, Existentialism, Feelings of Neglect, Flirting, Happy Ending, Jealous Louis, Jealousy, Kissing, Louis is a little shit, M/M, Misunderstandings, Neglect, Nouis, One Shot, Sad Louis, Skater Harry, Skater!Harry, Smol Louis, Stubborness, Unabashed Flirting, hipster louis, ignorance, kinda twink Louis, larry - Freeform, louis and niall are step siblings, louis doesn't take any of Harry's shit, only one minor smut scene, quiet louis, so many questions, teenage larry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 13:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8328901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleazyTomlinson/pseuds/SleazyTomlinson
Summary: The one where Louis is a pretentious, hipstery little shit and Harry only wants to get to know him as he trails behind on his skateboard, much to Louis' distaste and lack of affection. Nosy Harry asks a lot of questions and eventually it gets him somewhere; a place right in the center of Louis' mind.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I had this prompt written for almost a year and throughout this year, I've worked on little parts of it and now I finally finished! Work inspired by my favorite topics in english about Absurdism, Solipsism, and Existentialism. Also the analization of my two favorite books: The Stranger by Albert Camus and Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett. Hope you like it and don't forget to leave kudos and comments!  
> \- Mar  
> (Twitter: @acryliclouie)

Louis glares at the wall clock in the front of the classroom. It's like time just goes slower whenever he watches it. He taps his pencil onto the desk impatiently, his foot bouncing in the same beat.

 

Class has another twenty-two minutes and forty-six seconds left. Louis can do that. Not like he has any other choice, really.

 

He's been sitting in his desk doing nothing for the past twenty minutes. Literally. The assignment for the day was to write an essay on The Catcher In The Rye and, Louis being Louis, he finished in less than fifteen minutes. He doesn't understand how people are still working on it. Literally four paragraphs filled with why Holden Caulfield was depressed and how "his attitude reflected on his actions." A simple task that these idiots surrounding him can't even do.

 

He huffs at the clock when it finally spins once again to indicate another long minute has passed before looking around the class. Besides him, he sees only three other students already finished. A girl in the front bopping her head to the music playing in her headphones, another girl sitting two rows away from Louis doodling something on the desk, and his step-brother, Niall, who sits right in front of him. He can't see what he's doing from the angle where he's sitting, but he just knows he's probably on his phone.

 

He sighs and let's his eyes gaze at the rest of the students around him. He stops short when he notices one person in particular. He sit's all the way across the other side of the room but Louis has had this boy in his class since primary school.

 

Harry Styles.

 

He lets his eyes glue to the boy as he stands with his essay papers in his hand and walks up to the front of the class to leave in on the turn-in tray. He entrances Louis in a way. He's very long- lean, really- his strides long and languid. He's clad in tight black jeans and a band t-shirt that Louis is certain Harry doesn't even listen to. Another uncultured swine.

 

It's like girls with the Nirvana shirts and Beatles shirts. They probably know one song from each but will have a shit-ton of shirts with the band names on them. It annoys the absolute crap out of Louis, honestly.

 

Putting that minor detail aside, he watches with bored eyes as Harry makes his way back to his seat. He must feel Louis staring at him because right when he's about to sit, a small frown etches on his forehead and he looks up. His eyes land on Louis.

 

Louis tears his eye away and begins to gaze around the room, hopefully looking as if he were just looking around instead of staring at him.

 

He sees out of the corner of his eye that Harry finally sits down, easing some tension off of Louis' shoulders.

 

He'd rather go unnoticed as much as possible, really. He likes the idea of staying invisible. It's better to be alone than to be around numerous of fake people you claim to be "friends." Niall always tells him that it wouldn't kill him to at least have one friend, but Louis always laughs as if he had said some hilarious joke and ignores him.

 

When he looks back at the clock, he sees that there's only ten minutes left. With a quiet sigh, he takes out his headphones out of his pocket and plugs them into his phone. He hits play on shuffle and his ears are hit with the guitar melody of 'Fake Plastic Trees' by _Radiohead_. Kind of sad for the occasion but Louis leaves it out of laziness. He doesn't even feel the green eyes piercing the side of his head.

 

He never does.

 

 

 

\---

 

 

 

"Tell mum I'll be home late, gonna go to Liam's house to finish that bio project." Niall says as he leans by Louis' opened locker. Louis puts his books away and stuffs the ones he'll need for tonight's homework in his messenger bag.

 

"Sure you're not gonna go see Barbie Girl instead?" Louis asks dryly as he shuts his locker. His lip quirks when he hears Niall sputter and scoff.

 

"'er names Barbara, ya twat!" Niall states in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone ,"And no, me and Liam actually have to finish a project. I am not about to give up seventy points that go directly toward me grade."

 

Louis nods, unconvinced at Niall's words. "Sure. Don't be home too late, you animal. It's still a school night. Use protection and all that jazz."

 

It earns him a light slap on the arm and one of Niall's famous loud cackles that he secretly finds annoying, but Louis thinks its worth it. They part their ways after, Niall going off with his little clique filled with people from the footie team in one direction, and Louis alone with his headphones blasting _Mac DeMarco_ in the other.

 

Even being considered brothers now, they barely hang out. Don't get him wrong, he likes Niall. No matter how much he tried to hate the kid in the beginning of all this mess, it's difficult to despise the literal reflection of the sun. Niall's funny and sociable and he always makes Louis smile, but that doesn't mean they're best friends- let alone acquaintances- now. Niall isn't just going leave his friends for his new step brother, and Louis doesn't expect him to nor ever wants him to. Although they get along most of the time, they're too distinct polar opposites. Niall likes sports and being loud, Louis likes books and quiet peace. Niall depends on others, Louis prefers independence. Niall loves being with people, whereas Louis would rather be alone. Their parent's may be together, but that doesn't mean they have to be "friends."

 

Louis walks out of the building with his head casting down to the sidewalk, watching his own feet step by step. When he's finally completely off of the campus, he reaches into his front pocket and pulls out his half empty box of cigarettes and a lighter. He lights one and takes a slow drag, his eyes wandering from the ground up to the clouds above him. He kind of wishes he had a joint on him. Such nice weather should be enjoyed with a little kick from cannabis friends.

  
  
He passes by the ignorant people he calls his classmates but ignores them as he always does. He doesn't hear any of them with his earbuds in his ears blasting music and he's thankful for that. The conversations that he's tuned into probably lost some of his own brain cells. He's surrounded by idiots, honestly.

 

So he tunes everything out now as much as possible. No voices are heard, no cars, and not even the sounds of skateboard wheels rolling on the gravel beside him.

 

Well, not until a shadow is standing right by his own.

 

When he looks up, he finds that Harry kid from his class casually skating on a long board next to him, an amused smile spread on his face, dimples prominent.

 

He holds in a sigh and takes one of the earbuds out of his ears.

 

"Can I help you?" Louis asks, tone filled with boredom and his face expressionless.

 

"Those things kill more people than car accidents do." He says, pointing at the cigarette between Louis' fingers. Louis looks down at it before popping it between his lips and taking another drag. He blows the smoke out just before speaking.

 

"Good to know." His words come out snarkier than intended, but he shakes it off and begins walking again. Whatever will get this kid to go away.

 

He doesn't leave though. Instead he let's out a laugh, almost a cackle. He strides to keep a good pace with Louis on his board. Louis rolls his eyes.

 

"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you," He laughs out. He puts his hands up in surrender, but keeps laughing. Louis can already tell he's going to hate him more than he usually hates people.

 

Louis takes another drag just as Harry speaks. "You know, I've had you in most of my classes since grade six and this is probably the most we've spoken."

Louis hums in fake interest and sucks on the fag. Now he really does wish he had pot.

 

"Am I annoying you? Or do you just not like talking?" Louis kind of really wants to strangle him. "Like, I mean, I see you around sometimes but never with other people. Do you-"

 

"What's you're deal?" Louis finally snaps. He stops in his tracks and steps on the remainder of his cigarette bud.

 

Harry stops, too. His smile doesn't fade from his lips, doesn't seem like it has. Louis wonders if his face hurts from that.

 

"No deal, just curiosity," Louis rolls his eyes again before turning on his heal. But of course instead of Harry realizing that his presence isn't wanted and just leave, he strays right next to him, cruising slowly.

 

"What's _you're_ deal, then? What's got you so angry?" Harry asks eventually after a few seconds of silence. Louis scoffs at the ironic question.

 

"Oh I don't know, maybe it's got to do with a kid who keeps following me and trying to play twenty questions when I'm trying to peacefully get home," Louis deadpans.

 

Harry makes a hissing cat mewl and feigns claws in Louis' direction, adding fuel to Louis' fire. "It was only, like, three questions really. You know, you're very sassy for someone your size, Louis. It's cute, if I'm being honest."

 

Louis has had enough. He's never been a violent person so instead of smacking the shit out of Harry, he simply gives him the bird and puts his ear bud back on. It helps for the most part, but he can still faintly hear Harry's laughter from behind him.

 

He hopes he can get his money back for these useless things.

 

 

  
-

 

 

  
"Good morning, Louis." Louis huffs out a breath when he hears the voice behind him. Perching his glasses higher on his bridge, he turns and sees Harry. He's got on similar black jeans to the ones he was wearing yesterday, and today he sports a plain white v-neck and a black and grey snap-back backwards above his curls.

 

"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. Didn't intend to upset you. Honestly." He starts. Louis scoffs. He plugs in his earphones into his phone's headphone jack and into his ears then continues his walk to school. He knows Harry is still right next to him, but he tries to ignore it.

 

He does until Harry tugs his sweater to a stop. And, no, Harry did _not_ just touch him.

 

He takes out the buds but doesn't have time to even open his mouth before Harry speaks.

 

"No I'm serious! I am really just curious about you. Like I'd ask people around school if they know you and I always get the same answer." Louis stares at him blankly then glares down at his hand still clutching the material of his sweater. Harry mutters an apology and snaps is hand away as if it was shocked or something. Harry's cheeks are slightly flushed and he wonders if it's from the cold or some other thing.

 

"And what is the same answer, might I ask?" Harry shrugs and purses his lips.

 

"They don't know you. Like some people who have had classes with you probably longer than I have don't even know you're name."

 

Louis hums, happily, "Good."

 

Louis begins walking again. He doesn't even try to put his music back on because he knows Harry's going to come back with another question.

 

As if on cue, Harry strides by again.

 

"How is that good? I mean what if one day you- I don't know, like,-you get kidnapped by a serial killer or something and police ask around if anybody has seen you and nobody would be able to help you and then your murdered?!"

 

Louis' glare falters and soon he's barking out a laugh. Harry just skates along him with a frown etched on his forehead and a pout on his lips.

 

"You sure have an imagination, Harry." He chuckles out. Harry's cheeks tint darker, this time.

 

"That's not the point," Harry whines out (how old is he, seven?!),"Like I just want to know why you're always alone."

 

Louis sighs and stares straight ahead. He might as well give the kid what he wants, maybe then he'll leave Louis alone.

 

"I don't like people. That's my final answer, good-bye Harry." He doesn't look back to Harry, just keeps his eyes straight ahead and starts walking a little faster. He can faintly see the rooftop of the school building. He really hopes that finally made Harry go away.

 

Except Harry keeps by his side on his stupid skateboard like glue. Louis almost wants to shove him off the damn thing.

 

"Well not all people are bad." Louis groans and pinches the bridge of his nose.

 

"I never said they were, I just said I dislike people. Two very different things. As I said before, good-bye." He tries again.

 

"Then why don't you like people?" Louis curses to himself before he stops in his tracks once again and stares directly at Harry.

 

"Again, what's your deal?"

 

"Curiosity-"

 

"Curiosity my ass, just sod off! Why do you need to know about me? Why are you so interested in this- in my life- all of a sudden?! Like you said before, we've had the same classes for years but yet you never once cared about me before, so why start now? Just. Drop. It." Louis spits out. He almost feels bad when he sees Harry's frown again. Almost.

 

Harry just stands there with his bottom lip tucked between his teeth and hands hanging lazily by his sides. With a final scoff and muttering a quick 'tosser', Louis storms off. He clutches the strap of his messenger bag that crosses his torso. He doesn't look back, even if he feels Harry's eyes burning on his back.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
Louis hates that he can't think throughout the rest of his morning classes. Every time he tries to focus on an assignment or the notes he has to take, green eyes and chestnut curls always seem to find their way back to his mind.

 

He also hates that he kinda feels bad for the way he spoke to Harry. He knows Harry was probably just trying to be nice because he feels bad for Louis or something but whatever. Louis doesn't need his pity.

 

_Just like Harry didn't need to be snapped at._

 

Fuck it. Fuck it all, really.

 

When the bell finally rings to release them to their lunch period, Louis couldn't be happier. Of course he doesn't have a group of people to sit with in the cafeteria, and there's no way in hell he'd ever set foot in there nor has he ever. He spends his lunch behind the gym building. He has a usual spot by now right by the archway of the gym opening. People rarely pass by and when the do they never pay any attention to Louis. It's perfect, really.

 

He's never been one to like eating lunch but when his mum found out that he doesn't, she had forced him to at least bring a snack. Today's snack that she has stuffed in his bag is a green apple. Attached to it is a little post it note with a scribbled drawing of what looks to be a cat. Probably one of the twins' doing.

 

Stuffing the note into his pocket, he takes out his Calculus homework and his favorite blue pencil and begins the assignment. He's already half way done since he started most of it in class while the lesson was being taught but he might as well finish now.

 

He doesn't understand how people don't understand this stuff, or other school subjects in general. Louis is top of every class, its easy work for him. Yet he'll always hear so many complaints from other students. He doesn't understand that at all.

 

Bending his knees, he starts on the work. He manages to finish one problem in eight minutes but when he's about to start another one, he hears footsteps coming. Not just one pair, but a few.

 

He shrugs it off and goes back to doing his work. Except he can't really concentrate anymore. Because he hears voices now, and he's sure he's heard one of them before. This morning to be exact.

 

"...well what did your parents say?"

 

"Well my mum through a fit about how I'm too young to be getting my body inked and my dad didn't mind much. I mean he said it was cool once my mum left the room so I think I'll be fine."

 

Louis keeps his eyes trained to the worksheet and tries to move his pencil to form something onto his paper. He prays to the heavens that he doesn't even believe in hoping that they'll just pass by and ignore him.

 

"Louis!" well, fuck.

 

Louis slowly looks up to find Harry grinning from ear to ear, and a familiar boy standing beside him. He's a little shorter than Harry, but still taller than Louis. He has olive skin and dark hair. Honestly, he's probably the most gorgeous person Louis' ever seen.

 

Before he knows it, Harry's walking towards him, his skateboard in one hand.

 

"Z, this is Louis. Louis, this is my best mate Zayn." Understanding washes over Zayn's face before he's grinning like a madman. Louis shrinks in his spot.

 

"So this is ocean eyes!" Zayn exclaims, making his way towards Harry who is now standing less than a foot away from Louis. "Good to meet ya, mate."

 

"Ocean what?" Louis questions. He archs one eyebrow up at Harry. Harry scratches the back of his neck and gives a small laugh. It's strained, Louis notices.

 

"Um, just erm...anyways! What are you doing sitting back here?"

 

"Having lunch?" Louis answers, lifting his still not bitten apple for show. Harry hums in his throat.

 

"All the way back here? Why not just sit in the cafeteria?" Louis glares and raises an eyebrow at him and soon Harry's hit with the realization.

 

"Right, the whole...people thing." Harry mumbles out. Louis rolls his eyes, but there's a hint of fondness hidden behind them.

 

Wait what.

 

It's quiet for a moment until there's a small buzzing noise. Zayn smiles sheepishly and pulls his phone out of his back pocket.

 

"Shit, Gigi is calling me. I forgot all about the club meeting, fuck." He rushes out, stashing his phone back into his pocket."Gotta run, Hazzy, I'll catch you later. Nice meeting you, Ocean Eyes!"

 

In a flash, Zayn's on his own skateboard, speeding off in the direction they walked in. Leaving Harry standing there and Louis sitting right in front of him.

 

"Why did he call me that?" Louis asks Harry, not missing the deep flush that takes over the apples of his cheeks.

 

"Call you what?" And Harry is probably the worst person to try and feign innocent confusion. Louis opens his mouth to retail but goes against it. The less he talks, the less conversation to happen, the faster Harry should leave him alone.

 

"Never mind." Louis tries to avoid how Harry's shoulders immediately un-tense after as if he was relieved. To many questions in his head, so little energy to actually ask or give more thoughts to.

 

Harry's toes are turned inwardly with his bottom lip stuck between his teeth. His eyes gleam a little and Louis never quite noticed how green they are. They're...well they're green. Bright and nice and look like little emerald gems. With his mile long legs, he looks like a flamingo, or maybe an ostrich. Louis thinks he might be a mixture of both.

 

Harry's eyes roam Louis's folded body for a second then land on his homework. He cocks his head to the side and stares intently at the worksheet. Louis huffs and just continues his work when he realizes Harry has nothing idiotic to say.

 

But, of course, Harry takes a seat beside Louis. Much too close for Louis' liking.

 

"You have Mrs.Wistick? For calculus?" Louis' eyes glue back to his worksheet but still nods.

 

"She's a hard teacher, in my opinion. I don't understand anything in that class." Louis holds in his eye rolls this time. They're starting to hurt his eyes a little. Or maybe it's just Harry's presence.

 

There's a few heartbeats of silence and all that can be heard is Louis' pencil scratching at the paper.

 

"I'm sorry about this morning." He blurts out ,"like I don't ask you these questions to get you mad or because I feel bad or anything like that I just-I really am curious-"

 

"Curiosity killed the cat you know."

 

"-I just think you're really fascinating." And the sentence has Louis stopping his pencil all together, head tilting up with knitted brows. Harry's face is still flushed, turning pinker and pinker the longer Louis glares up at him.

 

"Fascinating? You find me...fascinating?! I'm not some sort of science experiment-"

 

"No!" Harry almost screeches, making Louis jump a little,"no, I- that's- no! I just want to get to know you."

 

Louis stares at him, incredulously. _Who_ is this kid- _what_ is this kid?

 

"Why?" He asks simply. He crosses his arms and tilts his head to the side as he stares at Harry for a response. Harry licks the corner of his lips and shrugs, shifting his gaze to his hands. They're fumbling with the hem of his open button up.

 

"Because no one else does. You're an interesting person. Very snarky, but interesting. I don't understand how other people don't want to talk to you."

 

"Because they probably know I don't want to talk to them." Louis scoffs out immediately. Harry just looks at him. Its almost funny how Louis can literally see the damn so-called _curiosity_ in his eyes.

 

"But why not, is my question. Like why don't you like people?" Louis groans and looks down at his paper. He wonders how long it'll take. How many days would it take for Harry to finally let Louis be.

 

"You're not gonna stop, are you?" It's barely a mutter but he can already see the sly smirk gracing Harry's face from the corner of his eye.

 

"Nope." Louis sighs and sets the books and notebook on his lap onto the ground beside him. Then he turns his whole body to face towards Harry. His legs are crossed and his hands are folded neatly between his legs.

 

"Fine. Personally I deeply believe in independence. Relationships with people change your perspective on things and honestly we're better off without relationships of any kind and contact that isn't necessary. People bring you lower."

 

"What about your relationship with your family? That's still a relationship." Harry eggs on to Louis' distaste.

 

"That's a little different. I /have/ to live with them. Like, sure I thank my mum and step-dad for everything they've done and I care for my siblings to an extent, but my relationship with them is simply obligatory."

 

"So you don't love them, then?"

 

"Love's a chemical imbalance. It's not real." Harry's quiet for a moment, having Louis believe that the conversation is over. He feels Harry's eyes burn into his skull as he resigns doing his homework.

 

"Marriage?"

 

Louis is taken back by the abruptness, but answers simply.

 

"Nope." Harry is left quiet again after that. Occasionally he'd fish-mouth but nothing ever comes out. Louis smiles, satisfied.

 

The bell rings shortly after giving the five minute warning for students to get to class. Louis stuffs his books in his bag and stands up. He hooks his bag over his shoulder and dusts off his pants. Harry still sits watching him, trying to think of something to say.

 

Just as Louis finished rolling his eyes once more and begins to take a step, a quiet voice behind him speaks.

 

"Everyone needs somebody, Louis." Louis scoffs, not turning back to Harry, instead watches the clouds move.

 

"I don't need anybody, thank you for your concern." He steps forward but again is stopped.

 

"But sometimes it's not about you needing them...it's about them needing you."

 

Louis finally turns at that, watches as Harry shifts under his strong gaze. His face looks genuinely confused, lips tucked between his teeth and head crooked to the side slightly.

 

"A person who isn't able to function without another person is a someone who I don't want to waste my time on. Nobody needs anybody. It's the brain playing tricks on you, filling it with emotions and crap. Mind you, the only reason we judge ourselves and feel the need to be perfect is because of everyone's opinions around you getting stuck into your head. Everyone is fucked, everyone is on their own. But most petty themselves and feel the necessity to feel wanted. That there, Harold, will get you no where."

 

He leaves with a smile on his face, a skip in his step, and a muddled Harry still sitting on the ground, gripping the pen Louis dropped tightly in one hand.

 

 

  
-

 

 

  
Louis gets peace for three days. During that time, Harry doesn't talk to him. He doesn't bother him before school, after school, not even during their English class. In fact, he barely sees Harry at all and when he does, Harry always looks in deep thought, oblivious to the world around him. Honestly Louis could care less about what's got Harry like that, he's just happy Harry's finally gotten the hint.

 

It's Saturday afternoon, now. He should be sleeping right now, should be basking in the glory of not having to wake up for school at such an ungodly hour in the early morning, except he made a promise. A promise he made loose-handed and is now here to bite him in the ass.

 

He had promised Niall that he'd attend at least one footie match before the season ends. Today being their last match, Lottie had ended up dragging him out of his room at nine in the morning on a Saturday. He had grumbled and protested but he can never really say no to her. Not because he doesn't want to, but because she literally doesn't take no's for any answers and always gets what she wants.

 

Also because she and Niall are the kind to get revenge for broken promises, having formed some sort of team since the both families met what with their very similar bubbly personalities. Louis is too young to die from one of their idiotic antics and would rather just take the latter.

 

So now he sits on a cold, arse-numbing bench with Lottie. She's full of excitement and energy and she hasn't shut her trap since they woke up; raving about how great the team is, how fit the boys are, how exciting it is to see Niall and the team make it this far. She's been to every game of the season; Niall's personal number one fan.

 

He grumbles an "mhm" every now and then so Lottie can think Louis' paying attention, but really he's just gazing at the field in front of them. The game hasn't started yet, they're just practicing and doing stretches on the field for now with seven minutes to spare before the game officially starts.

 

"Lou, did mum give you money for snacks? I want a lemonade!" Lottie whines, her her bottom lip slightly jutted out and her eyes wide.

 

Louis chuckles an shakes his head in disbelief. "Ice is almost falling from the sky right now, and you want a freezing lemonade?"

 

She nods and pushes her lip out more, batting long lashes. Louis reaches up and flicks her lip lightly causing her to giggle. He sighs and takes out his worn out moleskin wallet he got for Christmas two years prior and takes out a few bills that his mother had given him for the said occasion. The minute he places the money in her dainty hands, she's off and running to the food stands calling out a "Thank you, Lou-Lou!" as she goes(and no matter how many times he'll deny it, he definitely let's a small smile filled with fond slip his facial features).

 

"Is that your sister?" A voice erupts from behind him, causing him to let out an unmanly squeak from being caught off guard. His body moves on its own accord in defense and juts his elbow back roughly to whoever the person as he turns.

 

"Ow! Jesus, Louis, it's just me!" The person groans. When they turn up, Louis connects eyes with a pair of green.

 

"Goddamit, Harry, what the hell!" He watches Harry rub his arm gently to sooth the hurt bicep. Louis didn't even recognize him at first glance with his hair being covered in a black beanie yet still clad in a grey jumper Louis has seen him wear on a couple occasions and with his signature skin-tight jeans.

 

"You just elbowed my arm and I'm the bad guy!?"

 

"It was a defense mechanism! I mean what do you expect, you just came out of no where!" Louis defends, crossing his arms with a frown.

 

Then Harry is laughing.

 

It starts off quietly through his nose and then progresses in fits of giggles. It only serves to make Louis want to smack him again, purposefully this time.

 

"Why are you laughing?" Louis demands. It only makes Harry laugh a little louder.

 

He shakes his head and tries to contain himself, his head shaking. "Nothing. You're just cute is all."

 

Harry's has called Louis cute before. The first time they spoke a few days ago. He had brushed it off then and just ignored the warm bubbling feeling deep in his gut. Now, though, it makes his cheeks burn.

 

He has a group of little butterflies in his tummy and he can feel himself getting redder by the second. Harry's eyes still on him doesn't help either.

 

He turns away from Harry and back to the field in front of him, nose high in the air and arms still crossed . Harry sits beside him quietly. Louis tries not to look at him, even though he knows for a fact that Harry hasn't stopped looking at him.

 

His face still feels warm even when Lottie comes back minutes later. She hasn't even sat down when she starts blabbing about the girl at the stands who had pretty blue hair with pink tips. Louis watches her, his mind not even processing her words entirely until she looks over Louis' shoulder.

 

"Who's this?" She asks, nodding her head in Harry's direction. When he turns around, Harry is looking at him expectantly, waiting for a introduction.

 

"Oh, uh, this is Harry-"

 

"Is he your friend!?" Lottie asks, excitement wavering through her voice. She, like everyone else who knows him well, refuses to understand Louis' enjoyment of being alone. Just like his mother, she's easily thrilled at any given sight of Louis having some sort of companion.

 

"No, we just- we have English together." It's a weird feeling in his gut when he sees Harry's face visibly fall, but he ignores it. That really is what Harry is to him; just another kid in his class. Nothing special.

 

Lottie nods and reaches over to shake Harry's hand. It's a little comical watching a ten year old introducing herself like an adult. More comical when Harry reaches a hand out and shakes it. His hand dwarfs his sister's; his pinky bigger than her longest finger.

 

"Nice to meet ya. I'm Lottie, Louis' sister." She announces.

 

"Lovely meeting you, too." Louis physically holds back an eye roll.

 

Instead he leans back to the bleacher behind him and glares at the players in front of him. It's a bit uncomfortable but it's as good as this bleacher is gonna get.

 

"So what are you two doing here then? Didn't take you to be one who'd come to these kind of things?" Harry asks, amused smile playing full on his lips.

 

"Oh he doesn't like coming. He just came today to see Niall play." Lottie answers before Louis can even look at Harry.

 

When he does, he sees Harry with that little frown of his. He looks at Louis intently then to the players on the field, then back to Louis.

 

"Niall? Niall Horan?" Louis nods, confused. "Why did you come to see Niall?"

 

Louis could be wrong, but it seemed like Harry was...upset. Maybe even angry. His frown sure looks deeper, and his voice sounds even strained.

 

"Because Louis had promised him that he would." Lottie simply states. She turns back to the field when the referee calls out that the game is about to start. She didn't even seemed fazed about Harry's shift in tone, just keeps sipping her lemonade through the bendy straw. Louis, however, he definitely noticed.

 

The game goes by slow. Louis tries to stay interested, he really does, but he just can't. For one, he's never been into sports. Second, Harry keeps staring at him.

 

Every time Louis shifts in his seat or sniffles from the cold, Harry's eyes immediately snap to him. It makes Louis feel weird. A warm feeling in his tummy and warmth all over his face. Louis can only describe it as uncomfortable.

 

Lottie cheers on for her step-brother loudly and even tugs at Louis to do the same, but Louis just shakes his head and smiles up at her enthusiasm. He knows he says he doesn't necessarily care for anyone including his siblings, but he'll always have a soft spot for them.

 

Harry sits quietly next to him. He distanced himself a little during the game but is still only a good few inches away. He hasn't spoken or even cheered for anyone. Louis wonders why he's even here.

 

Niall's team ends up winning 3-1. He can honestly say he's quite impressed with Niall's abilities. He ended up shooting two of the goals, having swift movement and quick speed. He'll make sure to tell Niall otherwise, of course, just to rile him up.

 

The stands clear within minutes, parents and friends going down to the field to congratulate the players. Louis and Lottie stay on the bench and wait for Niall. Lottie tells him that Niall usually showers and changes into other clothes right after a game before coming up so they end up sitting there awaiting the blond boy.

 

Harry sits there, as well. He still hasn't said anything and he keeps his eyes trained on the field with occasional glances at Louis. His frown still found between his brows.

 

"So who did you come to see?" Lottie asks Harry. Both Louis and Harry exchange a glance before they both shift to different directions; Louis' to his hands and Harry's up to Lottie.

 

"Oh, I don't see anyone in particular. Just like to see the games, I always come."

 

"Really? So do I, but I've never seen you there." Louis turns back to Harry again. Its a weird sight to see. Harry's eyes are wide and he keeps playing with a loose string from his jumper.

 

"I, erm-"

 

"You're my lucky charm, Lou!" An Irish voice calls out, interrupting Harry's stammers. They watch as Niall runs up the bleachers, his grin wide.

 

Lottie gets to him just before he can reach them. She squeals out praises and hangs with her arms around his neck and legs dangling. Niall squeezes her frame just as hard and thanks her.

 

Louis has always said that Niall has a permanent smile. Even in bad times, he will always try something to lighten up the mood. Even when they were twelve and he and Louis had just met, Niall was the first to start a conversation and was smiling like a mad man. He even hugged Louis instead of shaking the hand that Louis had extended. Despite Louis' hatred of people, he grew fond of Niall easily. He's just a very likable person, very caring, and very, very touchy-feely. Even when he doesn't even know a person well enough.

Yet it still shocks him when Niall puts Lottie down and runs over to him. Louis backs up but its no use because in seconds, Niall's arms are pulling him up and squeezing his frame, harder than he was to Lottie. Almost back breaking.

 

"You actually came!" Niall yells in his ear. Louis grumbles and tries to squirm out of his grasp but no avail. So he lets himself be squished for a few more seconds. Then there are lips on his cheek.

 

He tries to swat the Irish boy away but his lips stay put on his cheek, making exaggerated kissing noises.

 

"Niall, you weirdo, get off of me!" Louis yelps. Niall finally pulls back, only to let out a cackle.

 

"'m just happy is all, I mean ya actually came to one of my games!" Louis rubs at his cheeks violently with the sleeves of his jumper and tries to glare at Niall but even Louis, as prude as he is, can admit that Niall's joy is too infectious. His glare fades into a small smile in less than seconds.

 

"You're ridiculous." He mutters. Niall beams, grabbing a hold of Lottie's hand.

 

"We'll meet ya down there so you can talk with you mate for a bit. Then we can get some ice cream, Lottie's treat!" Niall calls from over his shoulder.

 

Louis rolls his eyes. 'Lottie's Treat' his ass, they all know damn well that that means Louis will end up paying for it. Lovely.

 

He shrugs the thought away and looks back to the curly boy sitting on the bleachers. Or, well, he was. He's now standing and fixing his curls, flattening them again with the beanie right after. Louis wonders how many times Harry does that a day, the curl-swoop thing. It's probably purposeful though, seeing girls always gawk over it. (Not like Louis was paying attention or occasionally staring at him or anything like that, no of course not.)

 

"I thought you said you didn't believe in relationships and all that." Harry says suddenly. He's purposely avoiding eye contact, Louis can tell. His eyes wander from the people bellow to his shoes and basically everywhere besides Louis' face. Louis frowns, cocking his head non-comprehensively.

 

"I don't...?" Harry hums through his nose at Louis' response.

 

"You sure seemed pretty lovey-dovey with that Niall kid." Harry retorts, still not looking at Louis.

 

It connects in Louis' brain instantly. Louis knows it's a rude thing to laugh in someone's face but for one, he can't help it. And two, since when has Louis ever care about others anyway?

 

He flat out guffaws in Harry's face. He curls in on himself, tears brimming in his eyes from how hard he's laughing. He can't even look at Harry either. Every time he does, it just makes him laugh harder. Harry with his little innocent frown and wide doe eyes, staring like Louis like he's a lunatic. It's comical, really.

 

"What?! Wait, you think me and Niall are- are a thing?!" He chokes out. Harry gives a small nod, his cheeks flushing from what Louis believes is embarrassment.

 

"I mean, it looked like it." Harry says defensively with his pout on display. Louis' laughter dies slowly, eventually just ends up laughing breathily through his nose.

 

"What?" Harry asks innocently, crossing his arms over his chest. It's a weird thing about Harry. He literally looks like a giant toddler sometimes. It's sightly an endearing sight to see, Louis will admit that. Harry has some childish features, and his frown plus his damn doe eyes are definitely one of them.

 

"Niall is my step-brother." Louis deadpans with a grin, purposely slow for Harry to understand. Harry's face flushes again. It's darker this time, more of a scarlet red than a rosy tint like before, like usual.

 

Harry fish-mouths a few times. Louis just watches in amusement as Harry tries to figure things out in his own brain. "B-but you came to his game- where there's loads of people! You-you said you disliked people! And the-he kissed your cheek!" Louis shrugs, taking a seat back on the bleacher, standing being too much work.

 

"I had promised Niall I'd at least come to one of his games. Since today was his last game, Lottie ended up dragging me here. She hates when people break promises so." Louis shrugs again. His bemused smile still present, taking in Harry's wide eyes and slight pout.

 

Harry shakes his head a little and asks warily,"And the kiss?"

 

Louis makes a scoffing-groaning noise in the back of his throat, his eyes rolling. Not at Harry, more at the thought of his step-brother's antics."He always does shit like that to annoy me, the little bastard."

 

"Oh." Harry perches, his face lightening visibly. Dimples begin to mask the blush in his cheeks, lip caught between his teeth. A shame, really. Louis liked seeing a flustered Harry. A very entertaining sight to see.

 

"I can't believe you would think me and Niall were together. Please, the kid's knee deep in pussy." Louis mutters with a shake of his head. He stands again and dusts his bum a little then walks to the stairs on the side of the bleachers.

 

Except when he reaches the stairs, he hears Harry's footsteps rush behind him."What about you?"

 

Louis turns around and is met with harry's chest. He didn't realize how close they were. He takes a step back, careful not to end up toppling down the bleachers.

 

"What about me?" Harry fiddles with a wheel of his skateboard, which is now tucked under in arm.

 

"Like, are you..um..." Louis sighs, an eyebrow lifting with mirth. Harry's blood seems to keep him heated, his cheeks coloring once again. Louis thinks on their conversation, thinking about what Harry's trying to ask.

 

Then it hits him.

 

"Wait- you mean if I'm knee-deep-"

 

"Yeah." Harry squeaks out, interrupting Louis. He probably thinks Louis might blow-off again for the personal questions thing. So instead Louis shakes his head, turning to look down at his feet to take a steady step down.

 

"I don't like labels nor do I identify with any of them." With that, Louis makes his way down fully. He takes two careful steps at a time. He can faintly see Niall and Lottie across the filed sitting on the grass while Lottie talks animatedly and Niall laughs with his head thrown back.

 

He doesn't hear footsteps behind him, but he stops when he hears Harry's voice calling him.

 

"What's- what is that supposed to mean?" Harry asks, looking bashful. Louis turns around to look up at Harry. He's now a little distant considering Louis is already more than half way down the bleachers.

 

"It means I'm not interested in men or women or anything. Sexually or emotionally or anything in between. Fits nicely with my personality, doesn't it?" He smirks a little then begins walking down again. Harry actually lets him leave this time.

 

 

  
\--

 

 

  
The mini routine starts back again on Monday. Like most people, Louis is't a Monday person. Especially a Monday-morning person. It's always such a pain in the arse getting up and out of bed. It's a pain in the arse having to change out of his warm pajama bottoms and comfy long sleeve and into cold jeans and annoying sweaters. It's a pain in the arse having to not only make breakfast for himself, but for his sisters, too.

 

And there's a new special pain in the arse that's way too chipper for a Monday morning and is obnoxiously gliding on a skateboard right beside him.

 

"Good morning, Lewis!" Harry chirps from next to him. Louis grunts in response and takes a glimpse at Harry. He's grinning like if he'd gotten head from Megan Fox with his signature dimples on full display. Today he's wearing a green Adidas sweater, white high top converse, and those same goddamn black jeans.

 

"Do you have any other jeans?!" Louis unintentionally squawks out. Harry immediately looks down at his legs. He laughs through his nose and shakes his head, kicking to keep up his pace.

 

"I have, like, six pairs of black trousers. Plus, it's called a _washing machine,_ Lewis. You know, that magical machinery that cleans clothes so you can wear them again without-"

 

"I know what a washing machine is, you dolt. It's just I always see you in them."

 

"You've been watching what I'm wearing?" Harry asks with suspicion in his tone. Louis rolls his eyes, but that doesn't stop the heat creeping in his cheek bones.

 

"Not like a creeper, but I do notice things. It's not like I'm blind or oblivious." and Louis really wanted it to come out stronger than it did. Harry hums.

 

"So what other things do you notice?" And of course, Louis should've remembered that Harry questions everything. This question in particular makes Louis' skin crawl. Harry now knows that Louis notices his appearance, and knows that Louis must know more. Except Louis doesn't want that. He doesn't want Harry to know how fascinated Louis is by Harry. A hypocritical thing that Louis wants to ignore. Even though no one even talks to him, he still has his reputation of not caring to obtain. So he bites back.

 

"What, you mean besides you not having a filter on your mouth and having an obsession with black trousers? Not much." Louis mentally pats himself in the back.

 

But then again, it's Harry.

 

"And what is 'not much' exactly?" Harry is persistent, Louis will give him that. But Louis is also a sassy shit.

 

"You know, you're like those irritable questionnaires that people have to take before a check-up at the doctors." Louis grimaces just as they reach the campus. Harry gets off his skateboard and slides it under his arm. He walks next to Louis, keeping his distance to a minimum.

 

Harry just laughs. "I've been told worse."

 

They walk into the building in silence after that. Louis eventually weaves himself into the crowds of people in the hallway. He loses sight of the curly haired boy by the time he reaches his locker to get his textbooks.

 

 

\--

 

 

 

It's a mixture of surprised and non-surprised when Harry takes a seat beside him during English. Harry smiles at him as he takes the seat on the left on Louis. A sweet gesture that makes Louis' stomach twist and internally scowl at himself.

 

"Why are you sitting here?" He whispers harshly. Harry has no affect on Louis' spiteful tone, Louis has noticed, so he turns so his body is facing his with his pearly teeth showing.

 

"Because Daniel took my seat." He says like if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Louis frowns and glances over at Harry's old seat, seeing Daniel glancing questionably at Harry but still taking his seat slowly. Louis scoffs.

 

" _No_ , you took his seat and he had to forcibly sit in yours." Harry merely shrugs and waves his hand lazily.

 

"Details, details."

 

The bell rings just before Louis can even retort. He gives one last disbelieving glance at Harry before steadying his eyes on their English teacher.

 

Class goes by slow, as per usual. The only difference is that he can't pay much attention to the lecture. Instead his ears catch every tap Harry makes with his pencil, every time Harry breathes deeply, and every leg bounce he does under the desk.

 

Harry's even annoying when he's not speaking. Go figure.

 

He jumps a little when a small crumpled piece of paper flies onto his desk. When he looks at Harry, he's looking straight ahead with a hint of a smile. Harry is a literal child.

 

Louis leaves it on the desk, trying hard to ignore it and just focus on their teacher. He tries, tries very hard, but fails in the end. Grudgingly, Louis sighs and unfolds the piece of paper.

 

And he almost wants to laugh at the terrible thing, honestly. He chooses to scowl and cringe instead at the atrocity.

 

Inside is a mini-poorly done, he might add- drawing of Harry himself and Louis. They aren't even stick figures, just two floating circles with faces drawn. He can tell who they are instantly, what with the terrible scribbles on one of the heads and the other having lines spewing on top. Plus, Harry managed to use a blue pen to draw the slightly unsettling eyes he made on the one that's supposed to be him. How nice.

 

When he looks up to see the boy,he realizes that Harry was already looking at him. Eyes glimmering and wide, chin resting on the palm of his hand, and lips closed but showing a soft smile.

 

He's so weird. "You're so weird." He whispers out, with a shake of his head. Harry's smile widens but he never takes his eyes off of Louis.

 

And he doesn't for the rest of the lecture without Louis noticing.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
"You know, I'm impressed. It's been almost a month and you still are being a pest and following me around like a damn puppy." Louis grumbles as they sit together at Louis' usual spot by the school gym.

 

Harry has sat with him for the past month or so, occasionally bringing that Zayn kid but mostly alone. He'll walk- well Louis walks, he skates- to and from school every day, much to Louis' displeasure. He's semi-sort of used to this routine now. Used to Harry's inquisitive questions, Harry's loud laugh, Harry's lame jokes, Harry's scolding every time he lights a ciggy, the way Harry looks at him for no reason.

 

But he'll never be used to the borderline flirtatious comments Harry makes to him. He doesn't think he ever will. The ones that make his cheeks tint, warmth seep through his body, and his stomach to feel all frizzled.

 

It's an uncomfortable feeling that makes Louis feel vulnerable. Louis hates it.

 

"You're too cute to just leave alone." Harry says sweetly. Louis rolls his eyes and averts them quickly, hopefully hiding his pinked cheeks.

 

"And you're especially adorable when you blush. Like that." Harry continues, now knowing how flustered the comments make poor Louis. Louis gives him the bird without looking up from his English homework, deciding that Harry has seen him vulnerably flushed too many times already in just the few minutes of being together.

 

"Flattery will get you nowhere." He mumbles, chin resting on his knobby knees and eyes still to his assignment.

 

"It's gotten me this far," Harry says as a matter of factly",you can't resist my charm and voluptuous curls."

 

Harry makes an effort in flipping the curls that seep from the sides of his backwards snap-back exaggeratedly, fluttering his eyes when Louis finally looks up. Louis scoffs out a chuckle and shakes his head. Almost fondly.

 

They stare at each other for a moment, no talking, just small smiles and pinked cheeks. Louis studies each freckle, each little indent on Harry's smooth face and the shine in his green eyes. He looks stunning as always, a walking dream.

 

And Louis has officially lost his mind.

 

Harry is the first to look away, and Louis is stuck wondering why it wasn't himself who had first.

 

Silence still fills the air, Harry now doodling on the side of Louis' worksheet and Louis stuck wondering what the hell is wrong with himself.

 

This has never happened before. He's never been in situations like these, considering the fact that he's never necessarily had friends or acquaintances or whatever since primary school. Even then, he's never felt like this before; stomach fluttering, brain fogged, and this wave of warmth that seeps in whenever he's with Harry.

 

And it scares the absolute shit out of him.

 

He shakes the thoughts away and realizes that he's been absentmindedly looking at Harry. Focusing, he looks down at his half hidden face as he concentrates on drawing whatever it is on Louis' worksheet.

 

He gazes at Harry and watches the little frown on his brows, his bottom lip caught between his teeth, the faint signs of his dimple peeking out, all set from pure concentration. He's beautiful.

 

Meanwhile, he's fucked.

 

He reaches into his messenger bag and takes out a small bag of grapes that Daisy had packed him for his lunch this morning after scolding him for not eating. Louis took them with a roll of the eyes in the end, not being able to deny his sister after her deathly pout.

 

There's a sticky note attached as usual. Today's note says ' _To Louis/From:Daisy_ ' is scribbled writing and a drawing of what seems to be a snowman holding a flower. She even colored in the flower(messily, of course), standing out bright red.

 

"That's adorable!" comes a booming voice from beside him making him jump a little in his seat. Harry has a huge smile as he coos at the note in Louis' hand.

 

"They're just scribbles my sisters decide to leave me. They're not cute." He grumbles blankly, folding the note and sticking it in one of the pockets in his bag.

 

"Yes they are! She cares enough to draw you a little picture. Or they...how any siblings do you have?" He asks tentatively. Louis opens his mouth and is just about to answer but he shuts it, averting his eyes so they're narrowed at the curly haired boy.

 

"And you want to know why?"

 

"Curiosity."

 

Louis rolls his eyes,"Curiosity my ass. You can't keep using that as an excuse every time, you know."

 

"And yet you still answer all of my questions." Harry smiled cockily. Louis almost wants to slap it off of his face.

 

"By force!" He responds instead.

 

"You can say no and I'll sto-"

 

"No."

 

"I was kidding. How many then?" Louis sighs and let's his eyes glare at Harry normally.

 

"Five younger sisters , one younger brother, and Niall."

 

"Wow," Is all Harry says, astonished.

 

"I know."

 

"They're all your full siblings!?" Louis just huffs.

 

"Why so many questions?" He says tiredly, a mischievous smile forming on Harry's face.

 

"I'm cur-"

 

"Oh shut it. And no. The girls are all my half siblings and Niall isn't related to me at all." Harry nods in understanding, curls drooping from under his hat and over his forehead. He takes the hat off and shakes his curls and adjusts his hat back onto his head. Louis shouldn't find it as mesmerizing as it actually is.

 

"That's still a big family. I always thought having one sister was bad enough as it is, but having seven siblings!? That's impressive." Louis just shrugs and looks away when Harry catches his eye, focusing on his ruined VANS.

 

"I got used to the madness in that house after the second oldest sister was born. Now shut it and let me finish my homework and stop investigating me and my life, you homewrecker."

 

Harry giggles at the comment. Fucking _giggles_. It's a pleasant sound and it fills Louis' ears and somehow the feeling travels to his tummy where his stomach begins to feel all mushy.

 

That night when he's in bed staring mindlessly at his ceiling, he thinks. It's Friday night, only a quarter to midnight, and he's in bed uselessly. His mind keeps traveling back to brown, silky curls, a long slender body, and sinful lips.

 

He's so confused, is the thing. Despise his hatred for human contact, he wishes he could be able to talk to someone about this. Someone experienced in...well in whatever this is.

 

Harry is a nuisance; a downright burden that gives Louis headaches and makes him scowl. He's no different than any other person.

 

Except, he is.

 

Louis has never met anyone like him. Someone so invested, so intrigued by every stupid thing Louis does or has encountered or has. The only word that can come to mind when he thinks of Harry is genuine. The way his eyes light up whenever he sees Louis can't be false, nor the way he smiles from ear to ear whenever Louis actually let's him bug him. No one has ever cared about Louis being a deep introvert, and if they have, they've never gone as far as Harry has and actually talked to him.

 

Louis is ignored, just like he, too, ignores others. Harry shouldn't be after him like a lost puppy, shouldn't worry about whether he eats or whether he's gotten enough sleep the previous night. But yet he is, Louis just doesn't understand.

 

It was such a random occurrence, too. One day Harry was skating down the street not having a care in the world and the next he's playing some sort of thousand questions with Louis. He's never spoken to Louis before, never made so much as a seconds eye contact, and here he is a month later already knowing more about Louis than the rest of the entire school's population does.

 

That's another thing that Louis can't put his finger on. The amount of information that he's told the boy, the things he's told so effortlessly and willingly. Things that he doesn't know why he had even told Harry about. Not to mention the little things that Harry has let Louis know, himself. Louis remembers the little things, every little item Harry has ever mentioned about him.

 

Harry Edward Styles, born in Cheshire on the 1st of February and moved to Doncaster with his mother and sister when he was nine years old after a nasty split with his parents, favorite color is blue, eye color is forest green, loves to play guitar, has five different skateboards, has a cat named Dusty that he treats like royalty, has an older sister named Gemma who graduated last year from uni, never smoked or drank alcohol, his favorite subject is History, and he wants to get his teaching degree to become History teacher after college.

 

Louis wonders if he should know that much from just the span of a month and a half of actually speaking to the boy. He wonders if it's normal to remember it all and still have a thirst for more knowledge about the boy, though he'll never admit to that in a million years.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
"Whatcha readin'?" a voice whispers over Louis' shoulder. Louis doesn't even jump this time, having already gotten used to Harry's surprise arrivals. Louis flips a page in his book instead.

 

"Waiting For Godot," He answers blankly. He feels Harry hum from over his shoulder then remove his head all together. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Harry settle beside him. Their shoulders brush as Harry tries to look at the page Louis is reading. Louis can't even bother to concentrate now, only feeling the warmth of Harry on his skin.

 

"What's it about?" He asks quietly, brows frowned. Louis pretends not to feel his breath hit his cheek.

 

"Two guys waiting under a tree for a guy named Godot. Except the guy never comes, and they keep coming back and never really leaving. It's actually a production, not necessarily a novel.

 

Harry hums ",so I take it as you've read it before?"

 

Louis hums in response, eyes never leaving the page, even though his mind isn't processing the book in front of him. His mind is clouded, filled with the sugary feel that is Harry Styles.

 

"It's one of my favorites," He equips, folding the page he had left off and closing the book entirely. He lifts his arms above his head and stretches his back, letting out a breath of relaxation.

 

"Why is that? Sounds a bit bland to me, if I'm being honest." Louis laughs at Harry's sincerity.

 

"It's good! It's one of those books where you have to read between the lines. Hides reality within the comedy of it all. Existentialism is a big thing and it's basically making fun of people who rely on others for their own futures and such. Like, the main characters represent the people who conform to society, government, and/or religion." He explains like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Harry just looks at him questionably. Louis heaves out a sigh.

 

"Ugh, nevermi-"

 

"No, I want to know!" Harry whines with a pout, hand tugging at the sleeve of Louis' jumper like a child. It's adorable and Louis just wants to stab himself at the admission. "You seemed really interested in the book, I even heard you laugh at some point!"

 

Louis opens his mouth to respond but pauses, eyes narrowing to Harry.

 

"The last time I laughed out loud was, like, two chapters ago," Louis says slowly. It's almost scary how fast Harry's cheeks turn scarlet red.

 

"I-I um-"

 

"Were you _spying_ on me?" Louis eggs on with a raise of his eyebrows, watching as Harry squirms under his gaze. Interesting.

 

"No! I just-"

 

"What, were you watching me? Proper stalking me?" He's proper taking the piss now, amused by Harry strong reaction.

 

Harry huff through his nose and pouts, his entire face now colored pink, more red at the center. Louis let's out a laugh (more of a giggle, but he won't admit that) and covers his mouth with his sweater paw.

 

Harry stares at him, eyes going softer at Louis' delicate appearance. Louis doesn't even notice, too busy laughing into his hands.

 

"You're so red! Yo-you look like a tomato!" He says through fits of laughter. Harry scowls and a growling noise is heard from the back of his throat. The suddenly, Louis is upside down as Harry lifts him off the floor and over his shoulders.

 

"Harry put me down!" Louis demands, his laugh audibly loud. Harry shakes his head, arms securing Louis over his shoulders. He's slightly shocked at how easy it is to lift the older boy. Weighing almost nothing, Harry strides easily with Louis pounding his tiny fists on his back, breathy giggles coming out from his thin lips.

 

"Not until you learn some manners and stop teasing me."Louis protests wildly, squirming uncontrollably that has Harry straining his hold on Louis' thick thighs immensely to secure them both.

 

It doesn't work though. Seconds later, Louis' squirming begins to make Harry lose balance. Harry accidentally takes one too many steps and ends up on the edge of the grass area behind the gym. The new terrain level has his legs wobbling. He lets out a yelp, hearing Louis squeak from above him. Harry lands on his front and Louis on his back, both groaning loudly at the impact.

 

"You tosser!" Louis groans out. His voice comes out brightly, though, giving away his fondness from behind fake rage. "I told you to let me down, look what happened, you klutz!"

 

Harry balanced his upper body onto hi elbows, not entirely because of the small Louis still on his back. Harry cranes his neck to pout at the body but instead sees Louis' back. He realizes that Louis is straddling his lower back facing Harry's feet. He tries really hard not to stare at how Louis' bum looks so lovely perched on his waist like that, he truly does, but it's _Louis_  we're talking about.

 

He fish mouths a bit but shakes his head, realizing how much of a creeper he feels staring at Louis like that for a moment too long.

 

Instead, he chooses to just turns the tables around to get _him_ to get all flustered.

 

"Can you blame me? It's hard not to fall for you," He says smoothly with an amused smirk lifting on his mouth. He feels Louis' visibly tense above him and hears a huff in what's most likely annoyance.

 

"You're not funny," Louis deadpans quietly. Harry just laughs.

 

"I'm not trying to be. I'm being honest, I mean, look at you! Absolutely stunning. Eleven out of ten. Gorgeous." Harry continues. Louis grumbles something and cranes his own neck to glare at Harry. Just as Harry thought, Louis has a flush onto his pretty cheeks.

 

"Shut up." He bites out, Harry's smirk grows wider.

 

"Your eyes look amazing from down here-"

 

"Harry, stop it"

 

"-and those cheekbones-literally perfection-"

 

"Harry!"

 

"-Don't even get me started on your bum- hey!"

 

In seconds, Louis has Harry's body flipped over with himself seated on Harry's thighs. So, so close to actual contact in certain areas that has Harry's breath caught in his throat. His hands are bounded above his head by Louis' tiny fingers encircling his wrists, curls proably getting filled with grass, and a lovely looking boy sitting atop of him.

 

Dear God, give him strength.

 

"Would you quit taking the piss!" And even though it's spiteful, Louis stares down at Harry with a gleam in his eye, cheeks rosy, and a small smile on his pale lips.

 

Harry is speechless as he stares up at the boy. He's so beautiful in absolutely every way, so lovely, so endearing. Harry never lies when he tells Louis just that. He may like joking about it to make Louis squirm to the core, but none of what he says is ever a lie.

 

Both their breaths have hints of rigidness, Louis' smile dispersing within seconds of staring down at the curly haired boy, his own hair falling in a messy fringe in front of his forehead.

 

Harry releases his hand from Louis' grip (which had loosened as the moments passed) and reaches up to Louis. To feel, to grasp- anything.

 

Louis flinches but only a little when their skin makes contact. Harry's eyes visibly roam Louis' face, and Louis just let's him. Only because he can't even breathe let alone speak as Harry runs his fingertips onto his cheek and jawbone. They feel up into Louis' feathered hair, pushing his fringe back gently and tucking a strand behind his ear.

 

It's like time stops. All that is real is Harry and Louis, nothing else. Nothing else matters, just each other. The world could end or war could start behind them and they wouldn't dare take their eyes off each other. They couldn't.

 

Harry's hands move down to touch Louis' face lightly, tracing delicately over the perimeter of Louis' face and sinful bone structure.

 

Louis studies the crevices on Harry's face with his eyes, re-memorizing every detail on Harry's face. His own eyes flit to Harry's cheeks, nose, then finally his lips. Plush, full, and looks so soft that Louis just wants to feel them. With his own.

 

Harry seems to notice somewhat of the temptation.

 

"Can I-"

 

He cuts himself off when he hears footsteps coming closer. Both of them instantly freeze at turn their heads towards the sound.

 

"Harry? Haz, mate, where are-oh. Oh shit." Comes a familiar voice. Louis feels like a deer trapped in the headlights when he meets Zayn's gaze.

 

"Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt anything." He says awkwardly, an amused smile creeping on his lips, arms crossing. Louis frowns but realization hits him quickly as he looks back down at Harry. Harry who is laying under Louis. Harry who has his hand tangled in Louis' hair. Harry who is blushing furiously but still staring straight ahead at Zayn.

 

Immediately he hops off of Harry's torso and lands bum first onto the grass beside them. He stands quickly and dusts away any stray grass.

 

"No! No, no, no, no, no! It's not like that!" He rushes out, "Y-you came at the wrong time-just-nothing happened!"

 

Zayn chuckles and he hears Harry laugh loudly from below him. He glares down at the cackling Harry and sends him a snarl. It only works to make Harry laugh louder, Louis just huffs and rolls his eyes in irritation.

 

"Mhm, sure. I'll catch you later Haz, when you're not... _busy_. You, too, Ocean Eyes." and then Zayn is walking back in the direction he came from. Farther away, Louis can see a blonde girl waiting for him, her head craned to see what had happened.

 

 _Nosy_ , Louis thinks to himself. He just hopes rumors aren't spread. He cannot-and will not!-fathom any sort of attention that the ignorant swines that he calls students would give him if anything was said.

 

He turns around to find Harry already stood back up again, wiping some pieces of grass and leaves from his tight jeans. When they meet eyes, Harry grins like a cat. Louis scowls back.

 

"Well look who looks like a tomato, now?" Harry taunts. Louis rolls his eyes and shoves his shoulder lightly with his fist. Harry just pretends to be hurt, rubbing at the spot. A small smile creeps on Louis' face at Harry's child-like demeanor.

 

"You're the worst," he murmurs as they walk back to where their things are perched by the gym. Harry chuckles and fixes his snap-back.

 

"Aw, you're so cute when you-"

 

"Enough!"

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
"So...you and that Styles kid have been very friendly lately," Niall says not-so nonchalantly a week later after dinner. They got stuck on dish duty, even after five minutes of groaning and whining to their parents(mostly Niall). Louis on washing, Niall on drying and putting them away.

 

And there's that feeling again. That abrupt feeling of his insides churning every time he even _thinks_ about the curly haired boy. The mere mention of his name has his toes curling.

 

"It's nothing, nor is it any of your concern," Louis answers without meeting Niall's gaze. He tries to keep his tone normal, and body calm. But it's like a new condition he has or something where he feels his cheeks tingle. It happens way to often now, he should probably get that checked.

 

Niall raises his hands up in defense with a surprised laugh. "Don't need to get all moody with me, mate. It was just a question."

 

Louis sniffs and shrugs his shoulders, passing another wet dish to the blond boy.

 

"I'm serious though. Like, you don't necessarily have friends or anybody. But now it's like every time I see you, he's always with you. Follows you like a damn puppy, he does." Louis just breathes a sigh through his nose, wiping a little more forcefully at the China plate in his soapy hands even though it's already spotless.

 

"It's nothing, okay? Just drop it," He grumbles out, hoping to stop the prying. He swears his cheeks will burn off if the subject isn't dropped soon.

 

"Well if you aren't friends, are you guys like...dating?" Louis immediately drops the dish he was holding, having fallen by accident from Louis being caught off guard. The China collides with another at the bottom of the sink and makes a loud crashing noise. Louis curses under his breath, breathing out in relief when he sees that nothing has been shattered.

 

When he looks up at Niall there's already an amused smile plastered on his pale face. His eyes gleam down at Louis whilst Louis is fighting the urge to slap him in the face.

 

"No! We're not-no! Why would you even suggest that!?" Louis rushes, his voice coming out an octave or two higher. Something he instinctively does when he's nervous.

 

Of course Niall notices the change of tone immediately and raises his eyebrows, having known Louis long enough for him to also know about the change.

 

"You're totally into him!" He accuses loudly, wiggling an accusing finger in Louis face. Louis shoves his hand away and stares at him with wide eyes.

 

" _W-What_!? No!" He retorts. More of a sputter than anything, really. Niall cackles and tosses his head back with his wet hands clapping like a seal. Loud and obnoxious and Louis just really wants to smack him.

 

"I never thought I'd see the day- just- holy shit you like somebody! Louis Tomlinson actually likes a real human being!" He practically yells, much to Louis' dismay.

 

"Niall, no you've got it all wrong!" Louis refutes but it's useless. Niall is still cackling, face turning pink at the intensity.

 

After a solid three minutes of Louis useless arguments and Niall's loud Hyena chortle, Niall finally speaks.

 

"I knew you were hiding something! It makes sense, though. I mean he's head over heels for you, too." He says casually as he wipes the stray tears from his eyes.

 

"No, it's not- wait what?" Louis stops short. As does his heart beat.

 

"What?"

 

"What do you mean he's head over heels for me?" Louis asks slowly and quietly, almost afraid of Niall's response. Or excitement. Which is definitely weird for Louis.

 

"Mate are you serious? Of course he fucking likes you, I mean have you seen the way he looks at you? His eyes get all big and he always has that shit-eating grin on his face that makes him look like a frog when he's around you! Not to mention how whenever he asks me about you-"

 

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. What does he say? Does he talk about me when I'm not around?" Louis voice moves hastily, barely even thinking before words are leaping from his mouth. It isn't until after he's spit them out that he realizes how desperate he sounds, how much he cares about what Harry thinks of him.

 

And what the actual _fuck_ is going on with him?

 

"Yeah whenever he can't find you, he always finds me and asks me where you are and if you're okay and shit." Niall says nonchalantly, like it's not important or making Louis' mind race.

 

"You never told me this." Louis says quietly, eyes cascading down to distract themselves with the foamy dish sponge.

 

"Didn't think you'd care. Obviously I was wrong considering you're like a school girl wish a giant crush. Got ya all blushy and shit."

 

"I'm not in love with him! I don't like him!" Louis practically screams out, breaths getting heavier. Niall shakes his head with a closed lipped smile.

 

"I never said you were in love with him," Niall says with an amused smirk," but, you know. If the shoe fits...but, whatever you say, Lou. Your secret is safe with me."

 

"For god sakes, Niall! No. We're nothing. Nothing is going on between us, nothing will ever happen. He follows me around for who knows why and that's that!" He argues. Niall just groans and glares at him, arms crossing over his chest despite him wetting his shirt with his soapy hands.

 

"Louis just face facts; you like him." Louis frowns.

 

"I don't-"

 

Niall heaves a sigh and suddenly grabs Louis by his shoulders. Louis shuts up as Niall leans in so they're only inches apart ,"It's okay to like somebody, Lou. Everyone needs somebody. Get that through your head, mate."

 

Louis scoffs and slaps Niall's hands off of him, sticking his nose high in the air like a prideful cat. "I don't need anybody. I have myself and that's enough for me."

 

He sees Niall roll his eyes from his peripheral vision but instead of arguing back, he turns back to the task at hand. Literally.

 

"I'll hold you to that," He says quietly. Now it's Louis' turn to roll his eyes.

 

"God you're just like him. I don't _need_  anybody. That's that." He spits out. His face feels so warm, toes wiggling in anticipation of, well, _Harry_.

 

"Maybe he needs you, though." Niall quips.

 

"If he's dependent on me then he's not worth my time." it's almost robotic how Louis says it, having already told Harry the same thing previously. Makes him wince a little at the harshness but remains his stubborn form before Niall begins to tease him more.

 

"Stop being so damn bitter and face facts, _Lewis_."

 

"They aren't facts they're your own ideas, _Neil_!"

 

"Facts! It's a fact that he's whipped over you and it's a fact that you're definitely feeling something back! And when you realize this, you'll come crawling to me and saying 'Oh, Niall, you were so right! I really was an idiot! I am head over heels for Harry! Oh, happy days!'"

 

Louis shoves his shoulder mildly and stalks out of the kitchen. His scowl doesn't leave even after he's in his room and he can't hear Niall's insufferable laughter anymore.

 

Louis Tomlinson is _not_  "in love" with Harry. With nobody. He doesn't need anybody and that's that!

 

With that said, he still falls asleep with silky curls in his mind, the reminder of warm fingertips on his skin, and the raspy tone of Harry's laughter singing along in his ears.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
Time passes quicker and before Louis know it, flowers are blooming and rain drizzles every other day. Spring has come.

 

Harry still hangs around Louis like a monkey, and Louis has almost let his endearment show too much on multiple occasions.They still aren't "friends"( _they never will be_ , Louis thinks) and he still has that weird fluttery feeling at the thought of the kid that he will never understand, but nevertheless, it's nice to have some company to keep him entertained. Even if that company is an utter idiot.

 

"How is it that you actually _read_ for fun? Like, do you actually enjoy it?" Louis rolls his eyes and turns the page of his paperback copy of _Frankenstein_  by Mary Shelly, lifting his apple from his lap to take a small bite.

 

"Books are entertaining. They're like another universe that no one else but you are in. Well, aside from the protagonists and characters from the actual novel. They're the traditional source of entertainment since past times, you dolt."

 

He hears Harry hum in response, but it sounds distant. When Louis raises his head to view his suspicions, he makes eyes contact with Harry. Who was already staring at him, small smile on his face, chin resting on his palms.

 

"Stop staring, it's rude." He bites, shoving his chin deeper into his grey knitted scarf. Harry doesn't even flinch and it only causes for his smile to grow bigger. Louis just ignores him and takes another bite of the fruit.

 

"I can't. You're just so...mesmerizing, my dear Louis." Louis cringes causing a chuckle to emit out of Harry.

 

That's another thing; Louis has gotten much better with Harry's incessant flirting and cheeky comments. His blush has minimized, his face stays more neutral instead of panicked, and he doesn't stutter out anymore. Instead, he blows them off like if they were nothing, like if they have no internal effect on Louis at all.

 

 _That_ , however, hasn't changed. His chest still warms up and his heart still does some weird fluttering thing and his hands still clench slightly to whatever he's holding or just in his own palms.

 

It's more of a subtle reaction that he hopes Harry doesn't see through him.

 

"Bite me," He says with an innocent tilt of his head. Harry giggles nonetheless and shifts so he's sitting shoulder to shoulder with Louis. Louis just let's him and pretends that he's not holding his breath.

 

But he definitely tenses when he feels Harry rest his head on his shoulder, curls tickling the crook of his neck. He shifts slightly, though, so his lips are practically centimeters away from the shell of Louis' ear.

 

Louis feels his eyes go wide when he feels Harry's warm breath fan his ear, forcing himself to suppress the shudder that is threatening to happen down his spine. His fingers curl tightly at his paperback, folding the pages slightly. Harry notices his change in stance and smirks. He's got him vulnerable to the touch.

 

"I'd _love_ to bite you. Bet you'd be delicious," and just to prove his point, he let's his teeth graze Louis' earlobe feather lightly, then a deep rumbling hum leaves Harry's mouth as his teeth and lips drag against the skin. The bite isn't rough, but it's enough pressure that has heat pooling in Louis' crotch.

 

Louis makes sure to steady his book right over his groin immediately to hide him from the inevitable humiliation. He doesn't know whether Harry notices or not as he pulls away with a deep chuckle, still resting his head atop of Louis' now weak shoulder.

 

Louis swallows thickly and pretends not to feel green eyes boring onto the side of his face as he feigns reading his novel. Tries so hard not to let himself give in and stare right back, let himself get mesmerized by the green.

 

His cock still stirs at the connection and Harry's previous actions, is the thing. As he reads the same line on the page over and over, he secretly thinks of seeing his Chemistry teacher naked on his bed. It helps, but it also leaves a scarring mental image in his brain.

 

He blames Harry one thousand percent for it.

 

"You just bit me," Louis deadpans. Harry moves a little, enough that he's resting his chin on Louis' shoulder, gazing at Louis' face which is staring blankly at the book in front of him. He bites his bottom lip subconsciously, a habit that Harry has seen on multiple occasions where he's made Louis squirm to the bone with his flirtatious affection. So Harry smiles fondly, fingers moving at their own accord and tugging at Louis' chin to set his lip free before he can injure himself. He can feel Louis' body tense even more under his touch, if that was even possible. Harry takes that as a good sign.

 

"I can do it again, if you'd like-"

 

"No. No thank you," Louis says with a shake of his head, eyes blinking erratically,"don't know where that mouth has been. Bet you've bitten many others and I'd rather not get infected."

 

Harry laughs loudly at Louis' snarky remark, unabashed and heavy. Louis shouldn't think it's one of the most lovely things he's ever heard.

 

And even while laughing, Harry feels Louis' body relaxes a little in his hold.

 

"Lewis, are you suggesting that I'm a _floozy_?" He asks with a fake shocked voice. Louis' mouth twitches as it tries to smile. Harry definitely notices.

 

"I'm not suggesting anything. Just wouldn't want someone's lips on me if they've been on someone else, is all," Louis mutters while scooting his body away from Harry and leaving a wide gap between them. Harry doesn't get offended, though. Never has, Louis thinks. He chuckles breathily and gets on his hands and knees then starts crawling over to Louis.

 

It's such a sight to see a giant, gangling boy attempt doing so that it has Louis' lips curving at their own accord. Harry grins widely back as he settles himself right in front of Louis, sitting on his own calves.

 

The thing about Harry is that he's adorable. Looks gorgeous in the most purest form. Lovely and sweet all up until he opens his sinful mouth.

 

"What, jealous of former me being with someone else, sweetheart?" Louis just rolls his eyes and directs his vision down to the almost entirely forgotten book on his lap.

 

"You're so full of yourself. But no, no I'm not." He answers meekly. Harry just hums and leans forward, inches away from Louis' own face. Close enough that it has Louis' breath caught in his throat.

 

"I bet you are," Harry whispers. And it doesn't even sound like he's joking around anymore. Louis gets his answer when he actually meets Harry's eyes, indeed right about Harry's humor dying down. He has a slight curve to his lips but his eyes are wide and concentrated, taking in any and all reactions that Louis is willing to physically display.

 

Louis vaguely wonders if Harry's being serious but refuses to take any consideration when remembering who Harry Styles is- the tease, the flirt, the idiot who plays too much- and doesn't think anything of it. Not even when his stomach swoops every time he such as glances into Harry's irises.

 

He plays it cool, of course. Doesn't show any emotion other than irritation and lightly amused as he responds.

 

"Does your neck hurt from lifting your huge head?" and Louis almost wants to give himself high five for not stuttering or doing anything that'd make him make an absolute fool of himself in front of this beautiful boy.

 

No, not beautiful. Annoying. Louis would never think of such a thing as _beauty_ from Harry, of all people.

 

"Aw, I'm flattered that you'd care to be jealous of any of my previous relationships. Honestly you shouldn't, though. None of them will ever compare to you, Louis dearest." Harry bats his eye lashes dramatically and blows a kiss to Louis, who's body reacts faster than his brain and ends up actually laughing at the banter.

 

It catches him off guard, a can tell it caught Harry as well. His laugh is more of a giggle, embarrassingly enough, but he hides his mouth with his sleeve anyway.

 

That has Harry staring at him again in that weird way that he always does when Louis' does something out of character- something _normal_. Like if he's memorizing all movements and doings that Louis does. Very observant for reasons Louis will never know or understand.

 

"You're so full of shit. Now let me read, you promiscuous parasite!" He bows his head back down and pushes the book up to his face, smile still prominent.

 

He barely reads the first word on the page before the book is being pushed down and Harry's face is close once again. Closer, even.

 

"I will. On one condition, of course." Louis sighs exaggeratedly, slumping his shoulders for the full effect. Harry hums beside him in amusement as he watches Louis put a marker in the page he left off on and then turn his head with an unamused facial expression towards Harry.

 

"What now, Harry?" Harry's smirk grows wider whereas Louis's body just feels tingly.

 

"You give me your phone number." Louis blinks in confusion as he stares at the younger boy, who seems to not notice Louis' shock as much as his prominent scowl.

 

"Wait, what?" Harry sighs mockingly and shakes his head with an amused smile, still not tearing his eyes off of Louis. It's unsettling yet Louis feels flattered much to his dismay.

 

"Yeah, sometimes I get lonely later in the day and what better person to irritate than the beautiful Louis Tomlinson?" At that comment, Louis scoffs and reopens the book perched on his lap. He clicks his tongue and shakes his head as he brings the book closer to his face, knowing well that Harry is still fucking staring at him with those damn doe eyes.

 

"In that case; no. It's bad enough I have to deal with this during the weekend, I'm not about to deal with it during m-hey!" Like lightning speed, Harry grabs Louis' phone that lay askew on top of his messenger bag and runs off before Louis has even finished his rant.

 

Harry smiles brightly as he walks backwards, tapping inconsistently onto Louis' mobile.

 

"Give that back!" Louis exclaims, but makes no move to stand up and retrieve the item himself. He watches with a look of annoyance and a pout on his lips as Harry taps away. Louis grumbles incoherencies that only serve to make the taller boy giggle.

 

A few seconds later, a buzz can be heard and Harry pulls out his own phone from his back pocket. He glances at it and grins animatedly. He had texted himself with Louis' mobile.

 

 _You should have put a password on it_ , Louis scolds to himself. He quickly stands up and reaches his hand out towards Harry, who looks at him expectantly.

 

"Harold just give it back." Except Harry seems to have other plans. Plans which consist of grabbing a tight hold on Louis' dainty wrist and tugging him towards his own body. Louis squeaks as he's almost nose to nose with Harry, only an inch or two separating their noses. Harry seems to have lost his words, smile decreasing as he stares at every speck of Louis' face. As a result, Louis feels his cheeks flush at an alarming rate.

 

"Or what?" Harry finally mumbles, eyes glancing from Louis' eyes back don to his thin lips. And it's such a giant invitation for Louis to just kiss him, to _feel_  something more than just heated glances.

 

Except he's Louis, and Louis doesn't even understand his own train of thoughts when he's around that damn curly haired bastard.

 

Instead he clears his throat, tilting his head up high, and lifts his foot before stomping it right onto Harry's own foot. Harry's eyes bulge from their sockets and mouth opens wide but nothing comes out besides a high pitched wheeze.

 

_He's so endearing even in pain._

 

It's Louis' turn to smirk as he watches the taller boy practically throws the phone at him to grip at his throbbing foot. Louis hums in delight and sharply turns his heels and walks back to where he was sitting previously. He refrains from laughing as he grabs his belongings while listening to Harry curse under his breath from the pain. Once he has everything put away, he slings his bag over his shoulder and turns around to face Harry.

 

Except he's literally facing Harry. Because Harry had somehow moved without Louis noticing and is now standing a good few inches away, a blank look settling on his face.

 

He leans closer down to Louis', quick to notice how Louis doesn't move away this time.

 

"That was uncalled for," he says as he lifts his hand to gently push Louis' fringe back, making the boy's eyes flutter ,"Now you're gonna have to pay."

 

Just as Louis' eyes tear back open, he feels a pair of warm lips on the skin of his left cheek. Harry's lips. Harry's lovely, plushy, ruby red lips. Before he can even comprehend what's going on, Harry pulls away with a smug look and prances off. Louis just stands there, even after the tardy bell rings and students start to pile up for their next gym class beside him.

 

Because he's been kissed on the cheek by a beautiful boy and his body doesn't understand why in hell his cheek began to tingle at the contact, why his heart speed up so fast that it was almost non existent, and why he's stuck smiling like a fucking idiot.

 

 

  
\--

 

 

  
The problem with realizing you have feelings for someone is _how_ you realized you had feelings for them. Of course there were giant red signs whenever Louis so much as thought of Harry or when he caught himself thinking about his well being more than once a day, but of course he had chosen to ignore those mere things.

 

The thing is, he's never had a wet dream before that involved anyone he actually knows. He's had his share with fairly attractive celebrities and movie stars, but all were too vague and too unreal to ever get him farther than just half hard.

 

He's never had sex, never been kissed; hell, he's never even held hands with anyone besides his own sisters. So when he has a filthy, explicit, and detailed dream about Harry, he has to stop himself and think.

 

It wouldn't be so bad if it was just a kiss, a hug, or something more PG thirteen rated, but it was almost entirely smutty that it had his ears turning red even though he was alone in his own bedroom.

 

~

 

_Louis whined as the skin on his neck was being assaulted by red lips, hands finding their way into the curls of the boy above him. They were both almost naked, apart from their thin boxer briefs, and Harry- **God** , Harry felt divine on Louis' clammy skin as he roughly grounded his hips sinfully._

 

_"You're so gorgeous, I can't wait to be inside you," Harry purred into the shell of his ear, causing Louis to squirm beneath him. In the process of doing so, he had accidentally aligned both his and Harry's groins. They both moaned at the contact, Louis feeling the vibrations of Harry's raspy groan on his exposed collarbones._

 

_"Please," Louis begged, tugging Harry's curls up so Harry could detach his mouth from Louis' skin. When Harry finally pulled back up, he looked deep into Louis' own eyes. Blue meeting green. Or dilated pupils enlarged from lust meeting the other's._

 

_He leaned down and tenderly pressed his lips onto Louis', Louis only hummed before responding with his own lips. It was an odd, unfamiliar feeling that Lois had never experienced before, but it felt so nice. Harry's lips so plump and full slotting between his own thin ones._

 

_They kissed for what felt like ages, Harry occasionally moving his lips to have them travel onto Louis' cheek and jaw._

 

_Their hips rolled in sink, both groaning at the friction on each other's hardened cocks. Louis was panting by the time Harry finally dragged his lips down his neck, heading downwards towards Louis' narrow torso._

 

_Blotches of red spots formed after every suck and kiss Harry made on Louis' chest, making sure to take extra time as he roamed around Louis' nipples, which had the boy whimpering below him._

 

_He could feel Harry smirk as he screamed out a moan when Harry bit his left nipple and tweaked the right with his index and thumb fingers._

 

_"Harry-Har-please!" Louis just about screamed. He didn't care how desperate he sounded, or the fact that they were in his own house where anybody could walk right in. He just wanted **something**. He needed release._

 

_He felt hot breath puff over his now wet and sensitive nipple as Harry chuckled at Louis' eagerness and pressed one last kiss to the center of his chest. Then he began trailing his lips lower again with his hands rubbing at Louis' thighs that were wrapped tightly around his waist._

 

_He placed a kiss above Louis' navel and another right below it. As Louis glanced down, he watched as Harry lifted his head to glance up at the blue eyed boy, sending a smirk and a wink before crawling lower on the space of Louis' bed until his face was only inches away from the tent in Louis' boxer briefs._

 

_Louis didn't shame away, instead canted his hips up a little to have Harry receive the hint. Harry sent another smile, this time softer than the others, and stuck his fingers under the elastic waist band of Louis' underwear and began pealing the clothing off of Louis' body. He whimpered as he felt his cock bounce onto his stomach, leaving streaks of precome._

 

_Harry looked bloody gorgeous between his legs. His hair was pushed back underneath a black snap-back and eyes gleamed with want._

 

_He was so close, so very close to Louis' cock. His hand went to cup Louis' balls first, sucking the skin right beside the straining cock. He lifted his head once more before grabbing a hold of Louis' shaft in one hand, making the boy hiss at the contact. He came closer and closer to the head of Louis' cock, so close, only a breath away._

 

~

  
Then Louis had jolted awake, gasping as he sat up. The first thing he noticed was the bright numbers from his alarm clock beside his bed, reading 4:12AM, and the next being the giant tent underneath his navy blue bed sheets.

 

He was fucked(not literally, though at the moment he craved to be).

 

It had ended so abruptly but not fast enough. To say he was hard was an understatement. The whole facade of his dream had him /aching/. He's never been this turned on and so ashamed all at once. He won't touch himself, of course not. He can't. Not when the only image in his brain while he strokes his cock are going to be of a gorgeous boy with fairy curls and emerald eyes.

 

So throughout the rest of the day, he thinks. He thinks until the moon is out again and makes mind maps on paper titled "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS GOING ON WITH ME" and words crossed and rewritten all over the page. Louis can't stand the boy, but he also can't be away from him. He doesn't understand these paradoxical feelings or what to make out of this one bit. He's never been one to stoop for advice from others no matter how much he needs it, but opts for using the internet as a source for whatever illness he may have.

 

_'why does my stomach feel fluttery when I'm around a certain person?'_

 

_'why do I blush every time I'm around a certain person?'_

 

_'is this curable?'_

 

_"Why did Harry Styles have to ruin my life?'_

 

The last question he writes on paper, Then he scratches it out with ink, then rewrites it underneath. Then he removes everything besides the name.

 

_Harry Styles_

 

_Harry Styles_

 

_Harry E. Styles_

 

_Harry Edward Styles_

 

_Harold Styles_

 

Harry Styles. A boy that can make even the sun smile. A boy that makes Louis smile despite his own standards.

 

He's decent. He's nice. He's...astounding. Astonishing. Beautiful. Whimsical. Precious. And a little shit.

 

And Louis doesn't know why it's such a surprise when he reads all the answers on google that keep repeating the same damn thing over and over. It shouldn't be.

 

He likes Harry.

 

_He likes Harry._

 

He doesn't know what to do with this information. It's something that he's never felt before for a person nor can he say he understands any tiny aspect of it. He doesn't know what to do except to tell someone.

 

To tell Harry.

 

No, that's ridiculous. It'd be a stupid move to do that.

 

It's past midnight by the time he calls it a night, hoping for a full night of sleep instead of waking up to a rather explicit bump in the night again. He thrusts himself away from his messy desk piled with random pages filled with /that/ name and walks over to his bed. He grabs his phone before he turns his light off and gets settled under the blankets, making sure to check if his teachers had sent him any emails.

 

Instead he finds himself staring at his text message notifications. Because he recognizes the name, knows the name backwards and forwards and has written it down to many times tonight and has received far too many random messages from.

 

: ** _CutiePieHarry :-)_**

**sent at 11:42PM**

_Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite! I'll see you in the morning, beautiful xx_

 

That settles it.

 

His brain wasn't going to stop thinking about Harry any time soon. He had to say something. Fuck his pride and set aside his anxiety, he had to tell him. He had to tell Harry.

 

Tell him everything.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
There's a new kid in school on Monday. His name is Nick, has deep brown eyes, a contagious smile, and apparently a super flamboyant personality. He's tall, broad, and already friends with the entire football team, including Niall. Girls fawn over him blatantly, pushing perky breasts up whenever he's in sight and has many guys drooling as well. Word has it that he moved from London and played on the varsity footie team there, now he's all the hype at this bloody high school.

 

Usually, Louis wouldn't give two shits about any new students that arrive. They're all alike and end up blending in with the crowd within a weeks spans.

 

Except he's the reason Harry leaves him in the morning, ignoring Louis' stuttering as Louis tries to talk to him about him _problem_. Instead of listening Harry watches his phone, not even trying to remotely look discrete about not listening to the boy. He makes a mild excuse about catching up with someone and speeds off o his skateboard, leaving Louis to feel like an idiotic loser.

 

Harry doesn't sit next to him in English class that day, nor during lunch hour. It's a weird feeling to be alone again. When he should be happy that he's finally got his peace and quiet, he's anxious and-

 

-and feels truly _alone_.

 

He should be happy, should be screaming to the sky with glee that he doesn't have someone to interrupt his studying or his regular train of thoughts. He should have weight lifted off his shoulders now that he doesn't have to worry about telling Harry any of the ridiculous shit that has been swirling in his brain.

 

He should.

 

He _should._

 

**_He should._ **

 

But he can't. He can't help but feeling jealous when he sees Harry laughing and chatting away to _Nick_ , full envy when he passes by the cafeteria and glances for too long at a particular table in the corner where Harry sits too closely to the kid as they grin widely from something one of the footie players had said.

 

So he sits alone in the back that day. He ends up finishing his homework for Calculus, a mini lab for Chemistry, and a three paragraph essay for English and only has a section of the orange his sister packed for him today. The note has a simple scrawl of a smiley face, eyes dotted green of all colors.

 

Louis' throws the note away before he has a chance to dwell on the sinking feeling in his chest.

 

And it goes on like that for Tuesday. Then Wednesday and Thursday. It leaves Louis with a small hole-feeling in his chest, and thoughts roaming in his brain of what he might have done wrong. Or what he did in his usual attempt of avoidance and rudeness to finally tick Harry off.

 

The thing is, Harry never said anything- _still_ doesn't say anything- to Louis. He never says 'hi' anymore, never even once teases Louis. Never gives any explanation as to why he wasn't coming back.

 

Louis tells himself that he isn't hurt, repeats how he doesn't care and that he's happy.

 

He whispers that every night, even on Friday night when Louis was informed by Niall that he saw Harry was at the Football game withNick, and ends up crying himself to sleep.

 

Something he hasn't done in years.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

 

The weekend was two days of blurriness. Louis barely came out of his room and when he did, all he did was eat silently and ignore everyone around him. He'd take small walks around the neighborhood park and smoke pack after pack of cigarettes before walking home again when the sun wasn't in the sky anymore. His mother didn't even fret for long about the lingering scent on his clothing before he was in his room again and had closed the door on her. Niall had tried to pry and stick his nose into Louis' mess of a brain but it only ended with Louis snapping and pushing the blond boy out of his room.

 

He knows he's been extra moody and snarky, but he doesn't really care. He's had a long week and a longer weekend to think, yet none of his thoughts ever leave the bright image that is Harry Styles.

 

He gets minimal sleep from all these thoughts twirling in his head, and eventually it gets him somewhere. He finally comes to a conclusion Sunday night.

 

He purposefully throws out every note that he had made with Harry's name written on it the previous week, crumpling and crushing the pages into his waste basket in the corner of his room. He shouldn't care nor will he let himself care for long, no matter how much his chest aches with the thought of _him_. He's done nothing wrong but to be himself, which he loves and has no problem of living as, and hasn't done anything extra snooty to the boy. He's always been a bit of a grump, he'll bashfully admit, but he's never changed his ways nor is he planning to ever. If this is why Harry is being weird, then he will not allow himself to care. Harry is just another person who doesn't understand Louis' views, and that's okay. He won't give Harry the satisfaction of changing or being _nice_. He's himself with no regrets and no remorse for others.

 

If Harry's finally realized this and has decided not to talk to Louis anymore, than so be it and good riddance. He was just weighing Louis down, anyway.

 

(Or at least he keeps telling himself that in hopes that he'll finally believe it instead of just repeating it pointlessly.)

 

It's now Monday again. Louis does his normal morning routine before he leaves his home, but not before packing the green apple that Phoebe had given him with a small drawing of a cat in a tree that she and Daisy had drawn.

 

He sticks his headphones in and turns the volume all the way up as he walks down the usual path to school. Gingerly he pulls out his cigarette pack from his coat pocket and lights it, taking a swift drag as he makes his way to school.

 

It's a peaceful morning, barely any cars passing by and Louis let's himself bask in the ambiance of it all. There's a light breeze in the air that swirls the smoke forward, hardly any sun at all.

 

Plus, nobody to tell him unwanted facts about the risks of lung cancer that cigarettes bring.

 

He's alone and he's finally content with it.

 

 

  
\---

 

 

  
Zayn and Harry pass by him in the hallways almost every day after his Chemistry class is over, Harry usually greeting him loudly with an unabashed grin playing on his lips while Zayn goes with the usual small smile or the pet name of "ocean eyes", one that he'll never understand.

 

Since the previous week, though, Harry hadn't been there; far too busy with _Nick_  to even walk the same direction.

 

Except today isn't like the usual, or like the previous week. Harry is there, eyes scanning the crowd before falling onto the small blue-eyed boy. His eyes do that twinkly thing that is specially reserved just for Louis but Louis doesn't have time to fret. Instead he swiftly turns and decides to take the long way to class, purposefully ignoring Harry.

 

He misses the look of confusion Harry has and pretends not to hear his name being called from a certain raspy voice in the crowd of students behind him.

 

By the end of the day, Louis has succeeded in ignoring Harry the entire day, even going as far as spending his lunch in the library rather than behind the gym. He knows he's being petty, but petty is Louis' middle name and he will not act like nothing happened. He was downright ignored, feeling like a bloody idiot as he watched the boy he finally admitted to himself of having feelings for skate away with his new pal.

 

He doesn't want Harry in his life. He doesn't _need_ Harry in his life. Harry can't just come crawling back, it doesn't work that way. It's better this way.

 

The week passes just as quickly as the rest, and eventually it's Thursday. He's managed to make it a whole four days disregarding the curly haired fiend, and he plans on having it that way until he finishes high school.

 

Except life hates him just as much as he hates it back and ends up getting bit in the ass.

 

He's walking home alone again, _The Strokes_ blasting in his ears and he sucks on the stub of his diminishing cigarette. The sun is out brighter than ever, seeing as his shadow on the ground in dark and bold.

 

But then it's not his own shadow that he sees. His curiosity takes a toll on him and he finally looks beside him, only to find a familiar, brooding figure.

 

Louis frowns and turns to face forward, deliberately ignoring Harry's look of amusement towards him. He can feel eyes burning on the side of his head and can faintly hear a raspy voice calling for attention but he doesn't give in, doesn't give Harry the satisfaction of being acknowledged.

 

In the end, he does end up stopping by force; giant paws grabbing him by his bicep and halting him to a stop as well as making the remainder of his cigarette fall on the ground.

 

Louis scowls as he rips his headphones out of his ears with one hand so they hang loosely over his chest, the other being held hostage in Harry's hold. "What's your problem!? You dropped my-"

 

"Save it," Harry cuts in, stepping on the bud of the stick ,"you'll thank me for it later when you finally realize that these cancer sticks won't get you anywhere."

 

He grimaces as he wipes his shoe on the curb but doesn't loosen the harsh grip on Louis' arm, even as Louis squirms to get released. Instead of letting go, he ends p tightening his grip, ultimately having Louis whimper at the fierce hold.

 

"Let go of me!" Louis exclaims, his face faltering from angered to intimidated. Harry doesn't release him still. He huffs out a breath through his nose and pulls Louis to the side wall of a small shop, pining him against the cold pavement and barricading Louis' escape with his long arms on either side of his body.

 

Louis doesn't look at him though, no matter how intense Harry's gaze is on him. He keeps his focus on his dirty shoes and the brown strap of his messenger bag.

 

"Why are you mad at me? You've been ignoring me for days. More than usual." Harry finally speaks, a voice of accusation hitting Louis' face from the proximity.

 

"It's nothing that concerns you, now let me go and leave me alone!" Louis refutes, voice betraying him and sounding quiet rather than harsh like he wished it would be.

 

"I didn't ask if it concerned me or not, I want you to tell me why you're mad at me." Harry retorts, craning his head lower to be at eye level with Louis. Louis can't even help but admire how pretty he looks, wearing a maroon snap-back above his loose curls, black loose T-shirt, sinfully tight jeans, and dirty black and red converse on his feet.

 

He shakes his head, more to himself and wills himself to look at Harry in the eye, a task that seems to take all the energy out of him as he stares into forest green irises.

 

"I'm not mad! Just leave me alone, yeah!?" He argues, hand clenching the strap of his messenger bag tightly.

 

Harry only scoffs and rolls his eyes, making Louis scowl. "Well by the sound of your tone, I take that as you are."

 

This time it's Louis' turn to roll his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest like a petulant child.

 

"It's none of your business what I do, now is it? Not who I'm mad happy, or sad about! Fuck off and leave me alone, Harry, for fuck's sake!" He practically screams exasperatedly. Harry only cocks his head, a sly lift of his lips curving up much to Louis' displeasure.

 

"So you are mad, then." Harry says, more of a statement rather than a question. Louis just huffs and looks up at the sky, hoping for Harry to just leave him alone and let him be in peace instead of hating himself for falling for such an ass like _him_.

 

"Again, it's none of your concern." He deadpans, only fueling Harry's impatience. But even as impatient as he may be, his face softens immensely, making Louis frown in confusion.

 

"Of course it is. I'm always concerned about you." Harry responds quietly, one hand lifting itself from the wall and going to push loose hairs behind Louis' ear. Louis almost let's him, except his brain is going a mile a minute and ends up pushing his hand away. He nearly let's his guard down when he sees Harry's aghast expression.

 

"Well I'm fine." He retaliates, more lighter than before to even out his rude actions towards the lanky man-child of a being.

 

"No you're not."

 

" _Yes,_ I am."

 

"No you're not."

 

"Yes I am, don't fucking start this shit." Louis practically shouts, going to duck his head under Harry's arm and failing when Harry catches his waist and pushes him back against the wall, arms now resting on the curve of it.

 

"No you aren't."

 

"Yes I am!"

 

"Nope."

 

"Yes I am now fuck off and stop being such a child!"

 

"You're not."

 

"Harry fuck off!"

 

"Why don't you like that I care? Hm!? Why do you feel the incessant need to push me away all the time!? I _care_ , why isn't that enough for you!?" Harry all but yells, causing Louis to shrink at the spot. Harry's face has turned red from force. It leaves Louis speechless, confused, and so aggravated that it's all just too much. He didn't sign up for this shit, nor will he take any more of it.

 

He straightens the strap of his bag and forcefully pulls Harry's arms off of him, then pushes Harry's broad chest. It only works to make Harry stumble a little, but it's enough that Louis finally has space to breathe.

 

  
"What- where the hell is this coming from!? You know what, I don't wanna know nor do I care to, so just sod off Harry! If it really makes you this fucking upset, then leave! God, why don't you just go hang out with that _Nick_  kid, or fuck him for all I care!" He says, not looking back as he stomps away, pulling out another cigarette from his pack and quickly lighting it before he continues his stride home.

 

"Nick? What the hell are you...Wait a minute!" and in an instant, Louis is back into Harry's grasp. Thankfully his cigarette stays intact as he's pulled back gently, being spun to face Harry again. He scowls at Harry's amused smirk and gleaming eyes, looking too mischievous for Louis to handle.

 

"Louis are you...jealous?" Harry accuses, smirk prominent and getting wider the more he stares at Louis who looks like a deer in the headlights. Louis downright sputters, fish-mouthing as he tries to form a coherent argument but it doesn't come soon enough. By the time he does have a retort, Harry's already practically smiling like the devil he is down at Louis, who's cheeks have flushed to a worrisome red.

 

"What? N-no! Why the hell would I be jealous!?" He strains out, taking a very much needed drag from his burning cigarette.

 

"Because of me hanging out with Nick." Harry says in delight, grinning like a madman down at the poor boy.

 

"And just why the fuck would I care who you talk to?" Louis resumes, blowing smoke through his nose, making Harry scrunch his nose instinctively. _Like a little disgruntled bunny_.

 

"Because you're jealous." Harry says teasingly with a tilt of his head, stepping closer and closer to the boy who only moves back until his back hits the wall again.

 

"I'm not. There's nothing for me to be jealous about, especially anything about _him._ " Louis lies stubbornly, making Harry cackle much to Louis' embarrassment.

 

"I think you are."

 

"Well I'm fucking not." Louis shouts, throwing the leftovers of his stub and squishing it under his shoe covered toes. It gives him a slight distraction away from the dark eyes that seem to never leave Louis' face. It only works to leave him a sputtering mess with a too-hot feeling face.

 

He hears Harry chuckle deeply before a hand lightly comes to cup Louis' chin, forcing Louis to look up into two deep green abysses. He's so close that Louis can feel every breath Harry takes on his own lips, hitting them in puffs of warm, minty air. Louis almost feels too self-conscience of his own breath which probably reeks of nicotine.

 

Harry's eyes keep doing that thing where he keeps glancing all around Louis' face, as if he's studying all of his features. They notably keep landing down to Louis' lips, especially every time Louis begging to bite his bottom lips from nervousness. _It's so tempting_.

 

"You know, you're cute when you're jealous." Harry murmurs, eyes still flitting between Louis' blue irises and back down to his cherry red lips.

 

"Harry stop." He begs, hands coming up to press against Harry's chest. Except there's no real force behind them, almost as if he just wants to hold them there; to touch Harry. Harry smirks again at that, teeth dragging against his own bottom lip. It looks so sinful that Louis has to focus on the dimples on Harry's cheeks to calm himself.

 

"Hot, even." Harry continues, making Louis glower from the degrading term.

 

"Fuck you." He spits out, eyes glaring into Harry's own which are now darker than before.

 

They stand there for a moment, Harry's hand still cupping Louis' cheek and eyes now never leaving Louis' lips. Louis just feels suffocated, feeling his face burn as his lips are being watched intensely. He doesn't even think when he pokes his tongue out to wet them, only until after does he realize the effect it had on the taller boy. He hears a quiet almost whine coming from Harry, barely even audible even as Louis' face stands only an inch away from Harry's.

 

Louis doesn't get a chance at all to do anything before his mouth is covered with Harry's own plush lips. He stands there, frozen at the spot as Harry's mouth works. It's not hard nor gentle, a mix right down the middle where Louis can feel Harry's passion and effort but isn't overpowering. It's desperate and sweet all together and it has Louis practically melting on the inside.

 

Outside, though, Louis stands there with his eyes wide and mouth still as he calculates the situation in his brain. Harry is _kissing him_. He's kissing him and keeps moving his lips and squeezing Louis' hip for Louis to reciprocate in any form but Louis stands there; too in shock to do anything, let alone kiss the boy he's been dreaming about for weeks now.

 

Harry pulls back with visible reluctance, resting his forehead onto Louis' clammy one. His eyes are shut and he looks so gorgeous, even when looking in a pained state. Louis is still completely speechless, hands gripping the strap of his messenger bag with dear life.

 

And in an instant, Harry pushes himself away, legs seemingly moving on their own accord and beginning to pace in small circles. His hands rub his face harshly and up, pushing his hat off and letting it drop onto the floor as he threads his fingers into his now unruly curls. His eyes are tightly screwed shut, face contoured into a scowl that is aimed at only himself. Louis just watches the boy, eyes following the boy and mind screaming for Louis to _do something_.

 

"I'm sorry. I-I should've...should have _asked_ before I did anything stupid like that. Fuck, Louis I'm so sorry for breaking any sort of boundaries it-it's just- you're so lovely and beautiful and fucking _tempting_ a-and- _fuck_ I'm sorry." Harry jumbles out, not daring to look at Louis. Who is also avoiding all eye contact.

 

"No..no it's..it's fine. Like-I didn't... _don't_ mind." He stutters out, embarrassed. He hears Harry's feet stop their movements after Louis finishes speaking, yet he doesn't dare to remove his heated gaze from his worn out sneakers.

 

He holds his breath as he hears feet shuffling towards him again until they stop right in front of Louis'. Big, red Converse contrasting with Louis' small white Vans.

 

"You don't mind?" Harry asks in bewilderment, hands falling down to his sides, maroon snap-back still forgotten on the dirty ground. When Louis finally glances up, he sees Harry's shocked expression, eyes flicking all around Louis' face for any sign of doubt.

 

Louis sighs through his nose and shakes his head slowly, arms going to wrap over his waist, an instinct of protection to his feeling of humiliation. Their eyes stay locked on each other's, tension rising high as time passes by in almost slow motion.

 

Louis wants to roll his eyes from how awkward and dramatic the whole situation is, but instead he let's out a deep breath. He has to tell Harry now. It's now or never.

 

"Harry I...", he clears his throat before continuing, avoiding eye contact again ," I like you. I have for a little while now. I-I never said anything because I was confused. This- everything about this is all new to me, I-I've never  _liked_ anyone, let alone have those swooshy feelings like...like I do with you. I was going to tell you last week but..."

 

He sniffles and fumbles with the loose strings on his coat sleeve as he shrugs. His face feels fire hot and heart thumps in rapid speed, but all he can really feel are two hole burning on his face from Harry's overpowering glare.

 

"But I left you." Harry answers weakly. Louis nods but says nothing more, feeling like an absolute idiot now that the words have spewed out; dejected and vulnerable as he stands a good foot shorter than the green-eyed boy.

 

Harry curses under his breath and runs a hand through his curls again.

 

"Harry did...did I do something wrong-"

 

"No!" Harry almost screams," God I feel so stupid. I should have said something- Louis, Nick is my cousin and my mum had forced me to stay with him and show him around until he got used to the school."

 

Now Louis really does feel like a bloody idiot. All the stressing, self-hatred, and fucking _crying_ he did over this all for it to be something Louis just assumed. He's never wanted to slap himself and someone else as hard as he could at the same time like he does now.

 

"You mean to tell me that I fucking worried for nothing!?" Louis asks with a raised voice, shoulders slumping and hands clenching the fabric of his coat. Harry nods solemnly, looking guilty as ever with his bottom lip being nursed between his teeth.

 

Louis scoffs and pushes himself off of the wall, going straight forward to smack Harry right on the center of his chest, making the boy wince and take steps backwards with Louis' new built courage.

 

"You let me believe that I did something wrong, let me make an absolute fool out of myself," He continues to bash, Harry only able to give sheepish pleas through his eyes as Louis practically shoves him so now Harry is the one with his back against the other wall across from where Louis was previously.

 

Harry looks so small, a humorous contrast to his physical size contradicting his penitent facial expression. Louis' breaths come out harshly through his nose, eyes glaring daggers deep into Harry's own doe-eyes.

 

"You're such a fucking twat, Harry," and with that, he grips the front of Harry's T-shirt, tugging Harry lower to his level before surging forward and smashing their lips together, having found the confidence to do so. He worked his lips as best as he could with his lack of experience and seemed to be doing a good job as Harry began reciprocating his own lips, hands going to cup Louis' face again.

 

This time the kiss was much more fierce, Louis even letting Harry's tongue entrance when it slid across his bottom lip. He let the boy explore his mouth, weaving it with Louis' own muscle. They became breathless instantly but stuck with panting into each others mouth and breathing harshly through their noses as time passed, not caring for any passerby to come and see a mildly obscene scene happening int the entry way of an alley. They didn't care though, too lost in each other's heated lips working on one another.

 

By the time they pulled apart, Harry's hands had traveled down to Louis' hips and Louis' wrapping around Harry's neck with hesitance. They were still only an inch apart as they panted onto each other's lips, both lips having been swollen and had become almost red from their former clash.

 

"You're so beautiful," Harry whispered mindlessly as his eyes feasted over Louis' sharp features and rubbed his thumbs on Louis' hips. Louis only scoffed and hid his face in the crook of Harry's neck, smiling like an idiot onto Harry's skin.

 

"And you're an idiot who still needs to apologize for leading me on. Tosser." Harry let out a guffaw at Louis' mumbled response, arms wrapping around Louis small waist.

 

"I fully intend to, of course. Right after you let me kiss the living daylights out of you for as long as I want, Ocean Eyes." Harry says teasingly, giggling when Louis pulls lightly at the curls on the nape of his neck. "So much for not being attracted to anyone. That kiss _definitely_ said otherwise."

 

"Oh shut up-"

 

"And means that I actually mean something to you." At that. Louis fish mouths. Everything that he's ever known and wanted about being independent and alone hides behind a shield of green eyes. He won't know how he'll get used to this- this new experience. Hell, he just barely had his first kiss and snog with the most beautiful boy in the world- and even that sentence is hard to crack through Louis' head.

 

He pushes his thoughts aside and let's himself enjoy Harry's warmth and the way Harry rubs small circles on his back with his thumbs. He pulls his head away from the crook of Harry's neck and tilts his head up to see Harry's face, which looks like it's trying to play cool about the situation but definitely not able to pass off as anything other than worrisome. Louis stands on his tip-toes then, landing his lips on Harry's cheek and smiling as he pulls away.

 

"Maybe I'll make an exception...for you. You're very hard to resist, you know," Harry smiles at that, leaning down to connect his lips with the tip of Louis' nose, making the boy's face flush and emit a small giggle. A sound that Harry will definitely memorize.

 

"Then if you'll have me, I'd like to take you out on a proper date. A cliche one with dinner and everything-"

 

"Oh no."

 

"-and bring you flowers and meet your parents and-"

 

"And how about you shut up kiss me again before I change my mind, you fool." They laugh and Harry follows Louis' forward command, both smiling as they sway lightly with their lips connecting.

 

A start of a new beginning.

 

 

 

\---

 

 

**_*one year later*_ **

 

Louis wakes up to soft blankets, cold feet, and tufts of curls tickling his nose. His eyes are blurred and filled with sleep as he checks the time on his phone beside the makeshift bed they had made, reading 7;46AM. It's early but he doesn't mind much, mainly because he gets to see his boyfriend- Louis will never get used to saying that- sleeping heavily beside him, bare arms encircling his waist and long legs tangled with his own.

 

It's their final weekend before they leave for Uni, both attending the same school in London but studying different majors: Hary still going for hi degree in History and Louis in English Literature. They planned on spending the weekend with each other, much to the eye rolls they received from everyone else considering  _they're going to the same damn school_. But alas, here they are in a medium sized tent in Harry's backyard, where they had watched movies all day yesterday with Zayn, Gigi, Nick and even Niall.

 

A lot has happened in the past year, ranging from Louis actually becoming friends with actual people in his school to losing his virginity to Harry during Prom night, which Harry had dragged him into going. He's met new people, can actually call people friends, and can even proudly say that he's three months clean from smoking.

 

He sighs at the thought of it all and continues to watch his _boyfriend_ sleep, smiling at Harry's face that's squished above Louis' arm(which is now numb from Harry's heavy weight) and his light snoring. He still doesn't believe in any sort of religion, but he thanks everything in the entire universe for bringing this boy into his life. A stumble that turned into a life-long dream, as cliche as it sounds. He's changed, with a slightly different perspective on life.

 

He's happy and feels  _loved_ and _in love_ , something that he never once thought he'd ever say let alone feel. A once fickle thing has now become one of his main sources of joy in his life; and here he is looking down at him as he snoozes away in the tight tent.

 

Harry's the main reason for the change, for the actual hope Louis has now, and definitely the reason he is the way he is today. He never likes to think about the future, then and now, but it doesn't matter. Whether he and Harry depart each other's lives in a month or a year or even tomorrow, he'll never feel any regrets or remorse for his change because he's become a person that he even loves without sounding conceded.

 

In the end, _he_ was the one who needed to feel some sort of dependence, an outside source to help him become one with the world around him. He needed Harry, because Harry taught him how to love and _be_ loved.

 

Louis loves Harry, and Harry loves Louis. And nothing will ever change that.

 

 

 

_Cliche Fin._

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
